



































THE GLOBIES OF MAEY. 










Mary, Queen of Heaven 























THE 


GLORIES OF MARY 


BY 


ST. ALPHONSUS LIGUORI. 


9 

» 9 4 



ARRANGED FOR POPULAR USE , WITH THE ADDITION 
OF PRAYERS AND DEVOTIONS. 


JO 

NEW YORK, CINCINNATI; $HICAGO : 

BENZIGER BROTHERS, 

Printers to the Holy Apostolic See. 

1902. 


IRlbil ©bBtat 


3t fe 


60 
w«. 


REMY LAFORT, 

* Censor Librorum. 


Ilmpnmatur. 

*»> JOHN M. FARLEY, 

Administrator of New York. 



New York, June 18, 1902. 


THE LIBRARY OF 

CONGRESS, 

Two Cop'tn R Ecsiveo 

opt, gs 190? 

O'.ASR Cl XXo No. 

>VcT/ 

COPY 8. 


Copyright, 1902, by Benziger Brothers. 







CONTENTS. 


PART I. 

Explanation of the Salve Regina. 

PAGE 

Chapter I. Hail, holy Queen, Mother of Mercy.... 17 

I. How great should be our Confidence in Mary, 

who is the Queen of Mercy. 17 

Example. 23 

Prayer. 23 

II. How much our Confidence in Mary should be 

Increased, because she is our Mother. 24 

Example. 28 

Prayer. 29 

III. The Greatness of the Love which this Mother 

bears us. 30 

Example. 37 

Prayer. 38 

IV. Mary, our Queen, our Mother. 38 

Example. 41 

Prayer... 42 

Chapter II. Our Life, our Sweetness. 43 

I. Mary is our Life, because she obtains for us the 

Pardon of our Sins. 43 

Example. 47 

Prayer. 48 


5 



















6 


Contents. 


PAGE 

II. Mary is also our Life, because she obtains for 

us Perseverance. . . 49* 

Example. 54 

Prayer. 54 

III. Mary our Sweetness; she renders Death Sweet 

to her Clients. 55 

Example.. • 58 

Prayer . 59 

Chapter III. Mary, our Hope. 60 

I. Mary is the Hope of All.. 60 

Example. 66 

Prayer. 67 

II. Mary is the Hope of Sinners. 67 

Example. 72 

Prayer. 73 

Chapter IV. To Thee do we cry, poor banished Chil¬ 
dren of Eve. 74 

I. The Promptitude of Mary in Assisting those who 

Invoke her. 74 

Example. 78 

Prayer. 79 

II. The Greatness of the Power of Mary to Defend 

those who Invoke her when tempted by the 

Devil. W 

Example... 83 

Prayer. 84 

Chapter V. To Thee do we Sigh, Mourning and Weep¬ 
ing, in this Valley of Tears. 85 

I. The Necessity of the Intercession of Mary for 

our Salvation. 85 

Example. 98 

Prayer of St. Peter Damian. 99 

II. The Same Subject Continued. 100 



























Contents. 


7 


PAGE 

Example. 104 

Prayer. 105 

Chapter VI. 0 Gracious Advocate. 106 

I. Mary is an Advocate who is able to Save all.... 106 

Example. 114 

Prayer of St. Ephrem.... 115 

II. Mary is so tender an Advocate that she does 

not Refuse to Defend the Cause even of the 

Most Miserable. 116 

Example. 120 

Prayer of William, Bishop of Paris. 121 

III. Mary is the Peacemaker between Sinners and 

God . 121 

Example. 124 

Prayer . 125 

Chapter VII. Turn, then, Thine Eyes of Mercy 

towards us. 126 

Mary is all Eyes to Pity and Succor us in our 

Necessities. 126 

Example. 129 

Prayer of St. Anselm. 130 

Chapter VIII. And after this our Exile show unto 

us the Blessed Fruit of Thy Womb, Jesus. ... 132 

I. Mary delivers her Clients from Hell. 132 

Example. 136 

Prayer of St. Bernard.•. 137 

II. Mary leads her Servants to Heaven. 137 

Example. 142 

Prayer. 143 

Chapter IX. O Merciful, O Pious. 144 

How great are the Clemency and Compassion of 

Mary. 144 

Example.... 147 


























8 


Contents. 


PAGE 

Prayer . 148 

Chapter X. O sweet Virgin Mary. 150 

The Sweetness of the Name of Mary during Life 

and at Death. 150 

Example. 156 

Prayer. 158 

The Virtues of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary. .. . 159 

I. The Humility of Mary. 160 

II. Mary’s Charity towards God. 164 

III. Mary’s Charity towards her Neighbor. 167 

IV. Mary’s Faith. 169 

V. Mary’s Hope. 173 

VI. Mary’s Chastity. 175 

VII. Mary’s Poverty... 179 

VIII. Mary’s Obedience. 181 

IX. Mary’s Patience.. 183 

X. The Spirit of Prayer and Meditation in Mary. 186 


PART SECOND. 

Practices of Devotion in Honor of the Divine Mother. 

The Hail Mary. 191 

Fasting. ^... . 194 

The Visiting of the Images of Mary. 195 

Confraternities of our Blessed Lady. 195 

Several other Practices in Honor of Mary. 197 

Ejaculatory Prayers.. 202 

The Little Office and the Litany. 203 

Novenas . 203 

Meditations on the Litany of Loretto, for a Novena 

to the Blessed Virgin. 206 


























Contents. 


9 


PAGE 

Meditation I.: 

I. Sancta Maria, ora pro nobis.—“ Holy Mary, 

pray for us.”. 206 

II. Sancta Maria.—“ Holy Mary.”. 207 

III. Sancta Dei Genitrix.—“ Holy Mother of 

God.”. 208 

Meditation II.: 

I. Mater divinae gratiae.—“ Mother of Divine 

Grace.”. 208 

II. Mater purissima.—“Mother most Pure.”.... 209 

III. Mater inviolata.—“Mother Undefiled.”.210 

Meditation III.: 

I. Mater amabilis.—“Mother most Amiable.”... 211 

II. Mater salvatoris.—“ Mother of our Re¬ 
deemer.”. 212 

III. Virgo veneranda.—“ Virgin most Vener¬ 
able.”. 213 

Meditation IV.: 

I. Virgi praedicanda.—“ Virgin most Renowned.” 213 

II. Virgo potens.—“Virgin most Powerful.”... 214 
IJI. Virgo clemens.—“Virgin most Merciful.”.. 215 

Meditation V.: 

I. Virgo fidelis.—“Virgin most Faithful.”. 216 

II. Causa nostra laetitiae.—“ Cause of our Joy.”. . 217 

III. Vas insigne devotionis.—“ Vessel of Singular 

Devotion.”. 218 

Meditation VI.: 

I. Domus aurea.—“ House of Gold.”. 219 

Meditation VII.: 

I. Rosa mystica.—“ Mystical Rose.”. 220 

II. Turris Davidica.—“Tower of David.”. 221 

III. Faederis area.—“ Ark of the Covenant.”.... 222 

IV. Jan.ua coeli.—“Gate of Heaven.”. 223 















10 


Contents. 


PAGE 


Meditation VIII.: 

I. Stella matutina.—“ Morning Star.”. 224 

II. Salus infirmorum.—“ Health of the Weak.”.. 224 

III. Refugium peccatorum.—“ Refuge of Sin¬ 
ners”. 225 

Meditation IX.: 

I. Consolatrix afflictorum.—“ Comfortress of the 

Afflicted.”. 226 

II. Auxilium Christianorum.—“ Help of Chris¬ 
tians.”. 227 

III. Regina martyrum.—“ Queen of Martyrs.”. . 228 
The Feasts of Mary and their Appropriate Devotions. 230 

Feast of the Immaculate Conception..... 230 

Historical Explanation.230 

No vena for the Feast. 231 

At the beginning of the Novena. 231 

Preparatory Prayer.232 

Meditations. 239 

Example. 241 

Prayer.242 

Little Chaplet of the Immaculate Concepticyi.. 243 

Prayer to Obtain Purity. 243 

An Act of Faith in the Immaculate Conception. 244 

Little Office of the Immaculate Conception.244 

Prayers which may be said after the Office of 

the Immaculate Conception. 253 

The Feast of the Purification. 254 

Historical Explanation.254 

Novena for the Feast. 255 

Prayers. 255 

Meditations. 258 

Example.. 260 

Prayer. 260 

The Feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. 261 

























Contents. 


11 


PAGE 

Historical Explanation. 261 

Novena for the Feast. 263 

Considerations. 265 

Example. „.... . 265 

Prayer of St. Athanasius. 266 

Little Chaplet in Honor of the Immaculate 

Heart of Mary. 266 

The Feast of the Annunciation. 269 

Historical Explanation. 269 

Novena for the Feast. 270 

Meditation. 273 

Example. 275 

Prayer ..276 

The Feast of the Seven Dolors. 277 

Historical Explanation.277 

Meditations on the Seven Dolors: 

I. St. Simeon’s Prophecy. 277 

Example .. 280 

Prayer. 281 

II. The Flight into Egypt. 282 

Example. 285 

Prayer. 286 

III. The. Loss of Jesus in the Temple... 286 

Example... 289 

Prayer. 289 

IV. The Meeting of Mary with Jesus when 

He was going to Death. 290 

Example. ........... 293 

Prayer.. 1 293 

V. The Death of Jesus. 294 

Example. 296 

Prayer. 297 
































12 


Contents. 


PAGE 


VI. The Piercing of the Side of Jesus, and His 

Descent from the Cross. 297 

Example. 299 

Prayer. 301 

VII. The Burial of Jesus. 301 

Example. 304 

Prayer. 305 

Little Rosary in Honor of the Seven Dolors 

of Mary. 305 

Explanation. 305 

Stabat Mater. 310 

The Feast of the Visitation. 313 

Historical Explanation. 313 

Novena for the Feast. 314 

Meditations. 315 

Example. 317 

Prayer of St. Jane Frances de Chantal. 318 

The Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel and the 

Scapular. 318 

Historical Explanation. 318 

Example. 323 

Prayer to Obtain a Good Death. 323 

No vena for the Feast—a Devotion for those who 

wear the Brown Scapular.'. 324 

Special Prayer to Our Lady of Mount Carmel. . 331 

The Feast of the Assumption. 332 

Historical Explanation. 332 

No vena for the Feast. 333 

Meditations. 346 

Example. 348 

A Prayer to the Blessed Virgin. 349 

The Feast of the Nativity. 350 

Historical Explanation. 350 






























Contents. 


13 


PAGE 

Novena for the Feast. 351 

Meditations. 354 

Example. 356 

Prayer of the Venerable Louis Blosius. 356 

The Rosary and its Feast. 357 

Historical Explanation. 357 

Example. 362 

Prayer of St. Bernard. 363 

Confraternity of the Rosary. 364 

The Living Rosary. 365 

Privileges and Indulgences. 369 

Meditations. 370 

The Five Joyful Mysteries. 370 

The Five Sorrowful Mysteries. 375 

The Five Glorious Mysteries. 378 

Consecration to Our Lady of the Rosary. 381 

Easy and Short Method of Saying the Rosary.. 383 

The Feast of the Presentation. 384 

Historical Explanation. 384 

Novena for the Feast. 385 

Meditations. 387 

Example. 389 

Prayer. 389 

Devotions for the Month of May. 390 

Introduction. 390 

The Manner in which we should Practise the 

May Devotions. 392 

First Day: Prayer of St. Augustine. 393 

On the Means of Perfection. 394 

Prayer of St. Alphonsus Liguori. 394 

Second Day: On the Love of Pleasure.396 

Third Day: On the Interior Passions. 397 

Fourth Day: On Anger. 397 

































14 


Contents. 


PAGE 

Fifth Day: On the Love of Persons. 398 

Sixth Day: On Self-will. 399 

Seventh Day: On Patience. 400 

Eighth Day: On External Mortification. 401 

Ninth Day: On Restraining the Tongue. 402 

Tenth Day: Love of Possessions. 403 

Eleventh Day: On Striving for Spiritual Treas¬ 
ures. 403 

Twelfth Day: On Charity towards our Neighbor.. 404 

Thirteenth Day: On Exterior Charity. 405 

Fourteenth Day: Love of Self-esteem. 405 

Fifteenth Day: On Humbly Receiving Contempt. . 406 

Sixteenth Day: On the Practice of Humility. 407 

Seventeenth Day: On True Love of God. 408 

Eighteenth Day: On Suffering. 409 

Nineteenth Day: Remembrance of God’s Pres¬ 
ence. 410 

Twentieth Day: On Spiritual Communion. 410 

Twenty-first Day: On Holy Communion. 411 

Twenty-second Day: On Faith in the Blessed 

Sacrament... .. 412 

Twenty-third Day: On an Active Love of God. ... 413 

Twenty-fourth Day: On Prayer. 414 

Twenty-fifth Day: On the Exclusive Love of God. 415 

Twenty-sixth Day: On a Desire for Sanctity. 416 

Twenty-seventh Day: On Resolution. 416 

Twenty-eighth Day: On Confidence. 417 

Twenty-ninth Day: On the Continual Service of 

God. 418 

Thirtieth Day: On a Yearning for Paradise. 419 

Thirty-first Day: On a Happy Death. 420 

Various Prayers to Mary. 421 

Dedication of One's Self to Mary. 421 


























Contents. 


15 


PAGE 


Offering of a Family to Mary. 422 

The Memorare. 423 

Prayers for Every Day in the Week. 423 

Sunday: To Obtain the Forgiveness of our Sins. . 424 

Monday: To Obtain Holy Perseverance. 425 

Tuesday: To Obtain a Good Death. 426 

Wednesday: To Obtain Deliverance from Hell.... 427 

Thursday: To Obtain Heaven. 429 

Friday: To Obtain Love towards her and Jesus 

Christ. 430 

Saturday: To Obtain her Patronage. 431 


PART THIRD. 


General Prayers. 

Morning Prayers: 

An Act of Adoration. 433 

An Act of Faith. 434 

An Act of Hope. 434 

An Act of Charity. 434 

The Lord’s Prayer. 434 

The Angelical Salutation. 435 

The Apostles’ Creed. 435 

The Confiteor. 435 

Offering to the Blessed'Virgin. 436 

The Litany of the Most Holy Name of Jesus. 437 

Prayers during the Day: 

The Angelus. 440 

The Regina Cceli. 441 

Evening Prayers: 

Examination of Conscience. 443 
























16 


Contents. 


PAGE 

Firm Purpose of Amendment. 444 

The Litany of the Blessed Virgin. 444 

De Profundis. 448 

Prayer for Protection during the Night. 449 

Devout Method of Hearing Mass in Honor of the 

Blessed Virgin Mary. 450 

Method of Hearing Mass (St. Leonard of Port Mau¬ 
rice) . 470 

Mass for the Dead. 475 

Hymn: Dies Irae. 478 

Prayers for Confession. 492 

Before Confession. 492 

After Confession. 494 

Acts Before and After Communion. 495 

Before Communion. 495 

After Communion. 500 

Anima Christi. 505 

Vespers of the Blessed Virgin Mary. 506 

The Stations or Way of the Cross. 514 



















THE GLORIES OF MARY. 


PART FIRST. 

(Explanation of the gialtoe Regina. 

THE MANY AND ABUNDANT GRACES DISPENSED BY THE 
MOTHER OF GOD TO HER DEVOUT CLIENTS. 


CHAPTER I. 

Salve, Regina, Mater Misericordice! 

HAIL, HOLY QUEEN, MOTHER OF MERCY! 

Mary, our Queen, our Mother. 

I. 

How great should be our Confidence in Mary, who is 
the Queen of Mercy. 

As the glorious Virgin Mary has been raised to 
the dignity of Mother of the King'of kings, it is 
not without reason that the Church honors her, 
and wishes her to be honored by all, with the 
glorious title of Queen. No sooner had Mary 
consented to be Mother of the Eternal Word, 
than she merited by this consent to be made 
Queen of the world and of all creatures. “ Since 

17 




18 Explanation of the Salve Regina. 

the flesh of Mary/ 7 remarks the Abbot Arnold of 
Chartres, “ was not different from that of Jesus, 
how can the royal dignity of the Son be denied 
to the Mother? 77 

And if Jesus is the King of the universe, Mary 
is also its Queen, and as Queen she possesses, by 
right, the whole kingdom of her Son. Hence as 
many creatures as there are who serve God, so 
many they are who serve Mary: for as angels and 
men, and all things that are in heaven and on 
earth, are subject to the empire of God, so are 
they also under the dominion of Mary! 

Mary, then, is a Queen: but, for our common 
consolation, be it known that she is a Queen so 
sweet, clement, and so ready to help us in our 
miseries, that the holy Church wills that we 
should salute her in this prayer under the title of 
Queen of mercy. 

Kings at their consecration have their heads 
anointed with oil, which is the symbol of mercy, 
to denote that, as kings, they should, above all 
things, nourish in their hearts feelings of com¬ 
passion and benevolence towards their subjects. 
Kings should, then, occupy themselves princi¬ 
pally in works of mercy, but not so as to forget 
the just punishments that are to be inflicted on 
the guilty. It is, however, not thus with Mary, 
who, although a Queen, is not a queen of justice. 


Mary , our Queen, our Mother. 19 

intent on the punishment of the wicked, but a 
queen of mercy, intent only on commiserating 
and pardoning sinners. And this is the reason 
for which the Church requires that we should 
expressly call her “ the Queen of mercy/ 5 This 
was foretold by the prophet David himself; for 
he says that God consecrated Mary Queen of 
mercy, anointing her with the oil of gladness— 
God hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness —in 
order that we miserable children of Adam might 
rejoice, remembering that in heaven we have this 
great Queen, overflowing with the unction of 
mercy and compassion towards us, as St. Bona- 
venture says. 

And how beautifully does not Blessed Albert 
the Great apply to this subject the history of 
Queen Esther, who was herself a great type of 
our Queen Mary! We read, in the fourth chap¬ 
ter of the Book of Esther, that in the reign of 
Assuerus a decree was issued by which all Jews 
were condemned to death. Mardochai, who was 
one of the condemned, addressed himself to 
Esther, in order that she might interpose with 
Assuerus, and obtain the revocation of the de¬ 
cree, and thus be the salvation of all. At first 
Esther declined the office, fearing that such a 
request might irritate the king still more; but 
Mardochai reproved her, sending her word that 


20 


Explanation of the Salve Regina. 


she was not to think only of saving herself, for 
God had placed her on the throne to obtain the 
salvation of all the Jews. “ Think not ” said Mar- 
dochai, “ that thou mayest save thy life only, because 
thou art in the king’s house, more than all the 
Jews.” As soon as Assuerus saw Esther standing 
before him, he asked her, with love, what she 
came to seek. “ What is thy request ? ” The 
Queen replied, “ If I have found favor in thy sight, 
O King, give me my people, for which I request.” 
Assuerus granted her request, and immediately 
ordered the revocation of the decree. And now, 
if Assuerus, through love for Esther, granted, at 
her request, salvation to the Jews, how can God 
refuse the prayers of Mary, loving her immensely 
as he does, when she prays for poor miserable 
sinners who recommend themselves to her, and 
says to him, “ My King and my God, if I have 
found favor in Thy sight, give me my people 
for which I ask, these sinners for whom I entreat 
Thee.” Is it possible that God should refuse 
her? And who is ignorant of the power of the 
prayers of Mary with God? The laiv of clemency 
is on her tongue. St. Bernard asks why the 
Church calls Mary “ the Queen of mercy.” And 
he replies that “ it is because we believe that she 
opens the abyss of the mercy of God to whomso¬ 
ever she wills, when she wills, and as she wills; so 


Mary , our Queen , owr Mother. 


21 


that there is no sinner, however great, who is lost 
if Mary protects him.” 

But perhaps we may fear that Mary would not 
deign to interpose for some sinners, because they 
are so overloaded with crimes? Or perhaps we 
ought to he overawed at the majesty and holiness 
of this great Queen? “ No,” says St. Gregory 
VII., “ for the higher and more holy she is, the 
greater is her sweetness and compassion towards 
sinners, who have recourse to her with the desire 
to amend their lives.” Kings and queens, with 
their ostentation of majesty, inspire terror, and 
cause their subjects to fear to approach them: but 
what fear, says St. Bernard, can the miserable 
have to approach this Queen of mercy, for she 
inspires no terror, and shows no severity to those 
who come to her, but is all sweetness and gentle¬ 
ness. “ Why should human frailty fear to go to 
Mary? In her there is no austerity, nothing ter¬ 
rible: she is all sweetness, offering milk and wool 
to all.” 

But how, to use the words of St. Bonaventure, 
canst thou, 0 Mary, who art the Queen of mercy, 
refuse to succor the miserable? And “ who,” 
asks the saint, “ are the subjects for mercy, if not 
the miserable?” “Nothing resists thy power,” 
says St. George of Nicomedia, “ for our common 
Creator, honoring thee as his Mother, considers 


22 Explanation of the Salve Regina. 

thy glory as his own; ” and the Son, “ exulting in 
it, fulfils thy petitions as if he were paying a 
debt”—meaning thereby that although Mary is 
under an infinite obligation to the Son for having 
chosen her to be his Mother, yet it cannot be 
denied that the Son is under great obligation to 
her for having given him his humanity; and there- 
fore Jesus, to pay, as it were, what he owes to 
Mary, and glorying in her glory, honors her in a 
special manner by listening to and granting all 
her petitions. 

How great, then, should be our confidence in 
this Queen, knowing her great power with God, 
and that she is so rich and full of mercy that 
there is no one living on the earth who does not 
partake of her compassion and favor! This was 
revealed by our blessed Lady herself to St. Brid¬ 
get, saying, “ I am the Queen of heaven and the 
Mother of mercy; I am the joy of the just, and 
the door through which sinners are brought to 
God. There is no sinner on earth so accursed as 
to be deprived of my mercy, ... no one is so cast 
off by God that he will not return to him, and 
enjoy his mercy, if he invokes my aid.” 

Let us, then, have recourse, and always have 
recourse, to this most sweet Queen, if we would 
be certain of salvation ; and if we are alarmed and 
disheartened at the sight of our sins, let us re- 


Mary , our Queen , our Mother. 


23 


member that it is in order to save the greatest 
and most abandoned sinners, who recommend 
themselves to her, that Mary is made the Queen 
of mercy. 


Example. 

A man of high social position who had not re¬ 
ceived the sacraments for a long time entered a 
church of Our Lady of Perpetual Help—not from 
any motive of religion or contrition, but merely out 
of curiosity. As he looked at the picture of Our 
Lady he began to have a sense of inner perplexity 
and disquiet. Fear and remorse of conscience took 
possession of his soul. He turned away his eyes, 
seeking to distract himself, but the compassionate 
countenance of the Mother of God remained im¬ 
pressed on his soul and reproached him with his 
godless life. To rid himself of this depressing 
thought he went to another side of the church, 
but here too the face of the most blessed Virgin 
rose before Lis eyes. So he left the church to 
try to find forgetfulness outside, but the com¬ 
passionate gaze of the merciful Queen of heaven 
is upon him wherever he turns. At last it seems 
to him as if Mary were grieving because of his sins. 
He resolves to reform his life, and a penitent con¬ 
fession and absolution bring back peace and quiet 
to his heart. 

Prayer. 

0 Mother of my God, and my Lady Mary; as a 
beggar, all wounded and sore, presents himself be¬ 
fore a great queen, so do I present myself before 
thee, who art the Queen of heaven and earth. From 
the lofty throne on which thou sittest, disdain not, 
I implore thee, to cast thine eyes on me, a poor 


24 


Explanation of the Salve Regina. 


sinner. God has made thee so rich that thou 
mightest assist the poor, and has constituted thee 
Queen of mercy in order that thou mightest relieve 
the miserable. Behold me then, and pity me: behold 
me and abandon me not, until thou seest me changed 
from a sinner into a saint. I know well that I 
merit nothing; nay, more, that I deserve, on account 
of my ingratitude, to be deprived of the graces 
that, through thy means, I have already received 
from God. But thou, who art the Queen of mercy, 
seekest not merits, but miseries, in order to help 
the needy. But who is more needy than I ? Accept 
me, O Mary, for thine own, and as thine, take 
charge of my salvation. If, during the time past, 
I have served thee ill, and lost so many occasions of 
honoring thee, for the future I will be one of thy 
most loving and faithful servants. I am determined 
that from this day forward no one shall sur¬ 
pass me in honoring and loving thee, my most 
amiable Queen. This I promise; and this, with thy 
help, I hope to execute. Amen. 

II. 


How much our Confidence in Mary should be Increased 
because she is our Mother. 

Sin, by depriving our souls of divine grace, 
deprived them also of life. Jesus our Redeemer, 
with an excess of mercy and love, came to restore 
this life by his own death on the cross, as he him¬ 
self declared: I am come that they may have life. 
(John x. 10.) So that by reconciling us with God 
he made himself the Father of souls in the law of 
grace. But if Jesus is the Father of our souls, 


Mary , our Queen , our Mother. 25 

Mary is also their Mother; for she, by giving us 
Jesus, gave us true life; and afterwards, by offer¬ 
ing the life of her Son on Mount Calvary for our 
salvation, she brought us forth to the life of 
grace. 

On two occasions, then, according to the holy 
Fathers, Mary became our spiritual Mother. 

The first, according to Blessed Albert the 
Great, was when she merited to conceive in her 
virginal womb the Son of God. St. Bernardine 
of Sienna says the same thing more distinctly, for 
he tells us “that when at the Annunciation the 
most blessed Virgin gave the consent which was 
expected by the Eternal Word before becoming 
her Son, she from that moment asked our salva¬ 
tion of God with intense ardor, and took it to 
heart in such a way, that from that moment, as 
a most loving mother, she bore us in her womb.” 

The second occasion on which Mary became our 
spiritual Mother, and brought us forth to the life 
of grace, was when she offered to the Eternal 
Father the life of her beloved Son on Mount Cal¬ 
vary, with so bitter sorrow and suffering. So that 
St. Augustine declares, that “ as she then co¬ 
operated by her love in the birth of the faithful 
to the life of grace, she became the spiritual 
Mother of all who are members of the one Head, 
Christ Jesus.” (De S. Virginitate, C. VI.) 


26 Explanation of the Salve Regina. 

Through the Redemption we belong to the Son 
of God, but can we belong to him without be¬ 
longing also to the Mother? Does' not that which 
makes of us children of Jesus also bring us most 
near to Mary? Did not Jesus signify this when, 
before expiring, he looked down from the cross 
on his Mother and on the disciple St. John, who 
stood at its foot, and, first addressing Mary, he 
said. Behold thy son ; as it were saying, Behold the 
whole human race, which by the offer thou 
makest of my life for the salvation of all, is even 
now being born to the life of grace. Then, turn¬ 
ing to the disciple, he said, Behold thy Mother. 
(John xix. 26.) 

St. John himself, in stating this fact in his 
gospel, says: “ Then he said to' the disciple, 
Behold thy Mother.” Here observe well that 
Jesus Christ did not address himself to John, but 
to the disciple. 

“ John is but the name of one, whereas the word 
disciple is applicable to all; therefore Our Lord 
makes use of a name common to all, to show that 
Mary is given as a Mother to us.” 

The Church applies to Mary these words of the 
sacred Canticles: I am the Mother of fair love ; and 
a commentator, explaining them, says that the 
Blessed Virgin’s love makes her as a most loving 
mother receive us as her children, “ she being all 


Mary , our Queen , our Mother. 27 

love towards those whom she has thus adopted.” 
0 blessed are they who live under the protection 
of so loving and powerful a mother! 

0 most loving Mother! 0 most compassionate 
Mother! be thou ever blessed; and ever blessed he 
God, who has given thee to us for our Mother, and 
for a secure refuge in all the dangers of this life. 
Our blessed Lady herself, in a vision, addressed 
these words to St. Bridget: “As a mother, on see¬ 
ing her son in the midst of the swords of his 
enemies, would use every effort to save him, so 
do I, and will do for all sinners who seek my 
mercy.” Thus it is that, in every engagement 
with the infernal powers, we shall always cer¬ 
tainly conquer by having recourse to the Mother 
of God, who is also our Mother, saying and re¬ 
peating again and again: “We fly to thy patron¬ 
age, 0 holy Mother of God; we fly to thy patron¬ 
age, 0 holy Mother of God.” 

Be of good heart, then, all you who are chil¬ 
dren of Mary. Remember that she accepts as 
her children all those who choose to be so. 
“ Thus,” says St. Bonaventure, “it is that each one 
who loves this good Mother, and relies on her 
protection, should animate himself to confidence, 
remembering that Jesus is our Brother, and Mary 
our Mother.” The same thought makes St. 
Anselm cry out with joy, and encourage us, say- 


28 Explanation of the Salve Regina. 

ing: “ 0 happy confidence! 0 safe refuge! the 
Mother of God is my Mother. How firm, then, 
should be our confidence, since our salvation 
depends on the judgment of a good Brother and 
a tender Mother! ” It is, then, our Mother who 
calls us, and says, in these words of the Book of 
Proverbs: He that is a little one , let him turn to me. 
(Prov. ix. 4.) Children have always on their lips 
their mother’s name, and in every fear, in every 
danger, they immediately cry out, Mother, 
mother! Ah, most sweet Mary! ah, most loving 
Mother! this is precisely what thou desirest: that 
we should become children, and call on thee in 
every danger, and at all times have recourse to 
thee,‘because thou desirest to help and save us, 
as thou hast saved all who have had recourse to 
thee. 

Example. 

St. Irenseus, Archbishop of Lyons and martyr 
(t 202), has given us evidence of his devotion to 
Mary in his scholarly defences of the Queen of 
heaven from the attacks of the Jews and the heretics 
of his day. He maintained her immaculate con¬ 
ception against the Jews, and refuted the teachings 
of the heretics who held that the body of Christ was 
not derived from Mary. But he was not satisfied 
only to extol the Blessed Virgin, for his writings 
abound with praise and reverence for her. He 
shows how the obedience of Mary offset the evil 
wrought by the disobedience of Eve, and thus the 
human race, accursed through the first woman, was 


Mary , our Queen , our Mother. 29 

saved through the Virgin and won back from the 
powers of darkness and death to be given to grace 
and life. 

And what this great saint teaches, and wherein 
he is confirmed by the Fathers of the Church, is that 
the Blessed Virgin, through the incomparable vir¬ 
tues whereby she was made worthy to be the Mother 
of God, stands next highest to her divine Son 
in the work of the Redemption of mankind. In¬ 
deed, our Redemption is her mission, for she has been 
divinely appointed to intercede for us at the throne 
of grace. It is this amiable and beneficent dis¬ 
tinction of Mary that the Church recalls oftenest 
to our minds, that we may have perfect confidence 
in this most blessed Virgin, and that we may be 
moved to implore her help and intercession in all 
our trials and sorrows. 

Prayer. 

0 most holy Mother Mary, how is it possible that 
I, having so holy a mother, should be so wicked; a 
mother all burning with the love of God, and I lov¬ 
ing creatures; a mother so rich in virtue, and I so 
poor? Ah, amiable Mother, it is true that I do not 
deserve any longer to be thy son, for by my wicked 
life I have rendered myself unworthy of so great 
an honor. Thy name consoles and fills me with 
tenderness, and reminds me of my obligation to love 
thee. Thy name excites me to great confidence in 
thee. When my sins and the divine justice fill me 
most with consternation, I am all consoled at the 
thought that thou art my Mother. Allow me then 
to call thee Mother, my most amiable Mother. Thus 
do I call thee, and thus will I always call thee. 
Thou, after God, must be my hope, my refuge, my 
love in this valley of tears. Thus do I hope to die, 
breathing forth my soul into thy holy hands, and 


30 Explanation of the Salve Regina. 

saying. My Mother, my Mother Mary, help me, have 
pity on me! Amen. 


III. 

The Greatness of the Love which this Mother hears us. 

The first reason for the great love that Mary 
bears to men is the great love that she bears to 
God; love towards God and love towards our 
neighbor belong to the same commandment, as 
expressed by St. John: This commandment we have 
from God, that he who loveth God, love also his 
brother ; so that as the one becomes greater the 
other also increases. What have not the saints 
done for their neighbor in consequence of their 
love towards God! Read only the account of the 
labors of St. Francis Xavier in the Indies, where, 
in order to aid the souls of these poor barbarians 
and bring them to God, he exposed himself to a 
thousand dangers, clambering amongst the moun¬ 
tains, and seeking out these poor creatures in the 
caves in which they dwelt like wild beasts. See 
a St. Francis de Sales, who, in order to convert 
the heretics of the province of Chablais, risked 
his life every morning, for a whole year, crawling 
on his hands and feet over a frozen beam, in order 
that he might preach to them on the opposite 
side of a river; a St. Paulinus, who delivered him¬ 
self up as a slave, in order that he might obtain 


Mary , our Queen , our Mother. 31 

liberty for the son of a poor widow; a St. Fidelis, 
who, in order to draw the heretics of a certain 
place to God, persisted in going to preach to 
them, though he knew it would cost him his life. 
The saints, then, because they loved God much, 
did much for their neighbor; but who ever loved 
God as much as Mary loved him? She loved 
him more in the first moment of her existence 
than all the saints and angels ever loved him, 
or will love him; but this we shall explain at 
length when treating of her virtues. And as 
amongst all the blessed spirits there is not one 
that loves God more than Mary loves him, so 
we neither have nor can have any one who, 
after God, loves us as much as does this most 
loving Mother; and if we concentrate all the 
love that mothers bear their children, husbands 
and wives one another, all the love of angels and 
saints for their clients, it does not equal the love 
of Mary towards a single soul. Moreover, our 
Mother loves us much because we were recom¬ 
mended to her by her beloved Jesus, when he be¬ 
fore expiring said to her. Woman, behold thy son! 
for we were all represented in the person of St. 
John, as we have already observed: these were his 
last words; and the last recommendations left 
before death by persons we love are always treas¬ 
ured and never forgotten. 


32 


Explanation of the Salve Regina . 


But again, we are exceedingly dear to Mary on 
account of the sufferings we cost her. Mothers 
generally love most those children the preserva¬ 
tion of whose lives has cost them the most suffer¬ 
ing and anxiety; we are those children for whom, 
in order to obtain for us the life of grace, Mary 
was obliged to endure the bitter agony of offering 
her beloved Jesus to die an ignominious death, 
and had also to see him expire before her eyes in 
the midst of the most cruel and unheard-of tor¬ 
ments. 

It was then by this great offering of Mary that 
we were horn to the life of grace; we are there¬ 
fore her very dear children, since we cost her so 
great suffering. And thus, as it is written of the 
love of the Eternal Father towards men, in giv¬ 
ing his own Son to death for us, that God so loved 
the world as to give his only-begotten Son, “ so 
also,” says St. Bonaventure, “ we can say of Mary, 
that she has so loved us as to give her only-begot¬ 
ten Son for us.” Finally, she gave him to us a 
thousand and a thousand times, during the three 
hours preceding his death, and which she spent 
at the foot of the cross; for during the whole of 
that time she unceasingly offered, with the ex¬ 
treme of sorrow and the extreme of love, the 
life of her Son in our behalf, and this with such 
constancy that St. Anselm and St. Antoninus 


Mary , our Queen , our Mother. 


33 


say that if executioners had been wanting she 
herself would have crucified him, in order to obey 
the Eternal Father who willed his death for our 
salvation. If Abraham had such fortitude as to 
be ready to sacrifice with his own hands the life 
of his son, with far greater fortitude would Mary 
(far more holy and obedient than Abraham) have 
sacrificed the life of hers. But let us return to 
the consideration of the gratitude we owe to 
Mary for so great an act of love as was the pain¬ 
ful sacrifice of the life of her Son, which she 
made to obtain eternal salvation for us all. God 
abundantly rewarded Abraham for the sacrifice 
he was prepared to make of his son Isaac; but we, 
what return can we make to Mary for the life of 
her Jesus, a Son far more noble and beloved than 
the son of Abraham ? “ This love of Mary,” says 

St. Bonaventure, “ has indeed obliged us to love 
her; for we see that she has surpassed all others 
in love towards us, since she has given her only 
Son, whom she loved more than herself, for us.” 
From this arises another motive for the love of 
Mary towards us; for in us she beholds that which 
has been purchased at the price of the death of 
Jesus Christ. If a mother knew that a servant 
had been ransomed by a beloved son at the price 
of twenty years of imprisonment and suffering, 
how greatly would she esteem that servant on this 


34 Explanation of the Salve Regina. 

account alone! And how much more must we 
suppose that she loves us, now that she has seen 
that we are valued to such a degree by her Son 
that he did not disdain to purchase us at such a 
cost! 

Because all men have been redeemed by Jesus, 
therefore Mary loves and protects them all. It 
was she who was seen by St. John in the Apoca¬ 
lypse, clothed with the sun: And a great sign 
appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun. 
And, as no one on earth can be hidden from the 
heat of the sun, so there is no one living who can 
be deprived of the love of Mary. “And who,” 
exclaims St. Antoninus, “ can ever form an idea 
of the tender care that this most loving Mother 
takes of all of us, offering and dispensing her 
mercy to every one; ” for our good Mother desired 
the salvation of all, and cooperated in obtaining 
it. “ It is evident,” says St. Bernard, “ that she 
was solicitous for the whole human race.” The 
devout Bernardine de Bustis says that Mary 
“ loves to do us good, and dispense graces to us 
far more than we to receive them.” “ The love 
that this good Mother bears to us is so great,” 
says Bichard of St. Laurence, “ that as soon as 
she perceives our want she comes to our assist¬ 
ance. She comes before she is called.” 

0, how much does the love of this good Mother 


Mary , our Queen, our Mother . 35 

exceed that of all her children! Let them love 
her as much as they will, Mary is always amongst 
lovers the most loving, says St. Ignatius the 
Martyr. 

Let them love her as did St. Stanislaus Kostka, 
who loved this dear Mother so tenderly that in 
speaking of her he moved all who heard him to 
love her. He had.made new words and new titles 
with which to honor her name. He never did 
anything without first turning to her image to 
ask her blessing. When he said her Office, the 
Eosary, or other prayers, he did so with the same 
external marks of affection as he would have done 
had he been speaking face to face with Mary. 
Let them love her as did the Venerable John 
Berchmans of the Society of Jesus, who said: 
“ Blessed is he w r ho loves thee! If I love Mary, I 
am certain of perseverance, and shall obtain 
whatever I wish from God.” Let us love her as 
did Blessed Herman, who called her the spouse of 
his love. Let us love her as did St. Philip Neri, 
who was filled with consolation at the mere 
thought of Mary, and therefore called her his 
delight. Let us love her as did St. Bonaventure, 
who called her not only his Lady and Mother, but 
his heart and soul. Let us love her like that 
great lover of Mary, St. Bernard, who loved this 
his sweet Mother so much that he called her the 


36 Explanation of the Salve Regina. 

ravisher of hearts. Let us call her beloved, like 
St. Bernardine of Sienna, who daily went to visit 
a devotional picture of Mary, and there, in tender 
colloquies with his Queen, declared his love. Let 
us love her as did St. Aloysius Gonzaga, whose 
love for Mary burnt so unceasingly that when¬ 
ever he heard the sweet name of his Mother men¬ 
tioned his countenance lighted up with a tire that 
was visible to all. Let us love her as much as St. 
Francis Solano did, who, tilled with love for Mary, 
would sing before her picture, and accompany 
himself on a musical instrument. Finally, let us 
love her as so many of her servants have loved 
her, who never could do enough to show their 
love. Father John of Trexo, of the Society of 
Jesus, rejoiced in the name of Slave of Mary; and 
as a mark of servitude, went often to visit her in 
some church dedicated in her honor. On reach¬ 
ing the church he poured out abundant tears of 
tenderness and love for Mary. Father James 
Martinez, of the same Society, used to say, 
“ Would that I had the hearts of all angels and 
saints, to love Mary as they love her—would that 
I had the lives of all men, to give them all for her 
love!” Let us love her as did those who even cut 
the beloved name of Mary on their breasts with 
sharp instruments, as did Francis Binanzio and 
Radagundis, wife of King Clothaire, or as did 


Mary, our Queen, our Mother. 


37 


those who could imprint this loved name on their 
flesh with hot irons, in order that it might remain 
more distinct and lasting; as did her devout ser¬ 
vants Baptist Archinto and Augustine d’Espinosa, 
both of the Society of Jesus, impelled thereto by 
the vehemence of their love. 

Let us, in fine, do or desire to do all that is 
possible for a lover to do who intends to make 
his affection known to the person loved. For be 
assured that the lovers of Mary will never be able 
to equal her in love. 


Example. 

The beatification of Father Paul Francis Liber- 
mann, the founder of the “ Missionaries of the 
Sacred Heart of Mary ” for the conversion of the ne¬ 
groes, who died a holy death on the Feast of the 
Purification, 1853, is at present being considered. 
This holy religious, who before his conversion was a 
rationalistic Jew and a candidate for the office of 
rabbi among his people in Zabern, Alsace, was bap¬ 
tized in 1826. He became an epileptic, and. this un¬ 
happy disease closed the way to the priesthood to 
him. Then Libermann implored the help of the 
Blessed Virgin, and made a pilgrimage to Our Lady 
of Loretto. He made it on foot, in the garb of a 
beggar, covered by a ragged cloak, and he ex¬ 
perienced all the humiliations of poverty. But he 
found what he sought; the light of divine guidance 
was vouchsafed him, and his sickness disappeared 
even as did that of Pius IX., who also regained his 
health at Loretto. Father Libermann was ordained 
in 1841. 


38 


Explanation of the Salve Regina. 


Prayer. 

O Lady, O ravisher of hearts! I will exclaim 
with St. Bernard: “ Lady, who with the love 
and favor thou showest thy servants dost ravish 
their hearts, ravish also my miserable heart, which 
desires ardently to love thee.” Thou, my Mother, 
hast enamored a God with thy beauty, and drawn 
him from heaven into thy chaste womb; and shall 
I live without loving thee? No, I will say to 
thee with one of thy most loving sons, John Berch- 
mans of the Society of Jesus, I will never rest until 
I am certain of having obtained thy love. I would 
that I had a heart to love thee in place of all those 
unfortunate creatures who love thee not. I would 
that I could speak with a thousand tongues, that 
all might know thy greatness, thy holiness, thy 
mercy, and the love with which thou lovest all who 
love thee. Had I riches, I would employ them all 
for thy honor. Had I subjects, I would make them 
all thy lovers. If the occasion presented itself I 
would lay down my life for thy glory. Make me thy 
worthy child. This is my hope. 


IV. 

Mary, our Queen, our Mother. 

Although, as St. Bernard tells us, prayer in the 
mouth of a sinner is devoid of beauty, as it is 
unaccompanied by charity, nevertheless it is 
useful and obtains grace to abandon sin; for, as 
St. Thomas teaches, the prayer of a sinner, 
though without merit, is an act which obtains the 


Mary , our Queen , Mother. 


39 


grace of forgiveness, since the power of impetra- 
tion is founded not on the merits of him who 
asks, but on the divine goodness, and the merits 
and promises of Jesus Christ, who has said, Every 
one that asketh receiveth. (Luke xi. 10.) The 
same thing must be said of prayers offered to the 
divine Mother. “ If he who prays,” says St. An¬ 
selm, “ does not merit to be heard, the merits of 
the Mother, to whom he recommends himself, will 
intercede effectually/’ 

Therefore St. Bernard exhorts all sinners to 
have recourse to Mary, invoking her with great 
confidence; for though the sinner does not him¬ 
self merit the graces which he asks, yet he re¬ 
ceives 'them, because this Blessed Virgin asks and 
obtains them from God, on account of her own 
merits. These are his words, addressing a sinner: 
“ Because thou wast unworthy to receive the 
grace thyself, it was given to Mary, in order that, 
through her, thou mightest receive all. If a 
mother,” continues the same saint, “knew that 
her two sons bore a mortal enmity to each other, 
and that each, plotted against the other’s life, 
would she not exert herself to her utmost in order 
to reconcile them? This would be the duty of a 
good mother. And thus it is,” the saint goes on 
to say, “ that Mary acts; for she is the Mother of 
Jesus, and the Mother of men. When she sees 


40 Explanation of the Salve Regina . 

a sinner at enmity with Jesus Christ, she cannot 
endure it, and does all in her power to make peace 
between them. Does not St. Ephrem call Mary 
4 the Refuge of sinners 7 ? St. John of Damas¬ 
cus says she has been divinely appointed to be 
the refuge of all whose evil deeds are so great 
that they have merited death. She is the mother 
of sinners who wish to repent. This most 
benign Lady only requires that the sinner should 
recommend himself to her, and purpose amend¬ 
ment. When Mary sees a sinner at her feet, im¬ 
ploring her mercy, she does not consider the 
crimes with which he is loaded, but the intention 
with which he comes; and if this is good, even 
should he have committed all possible sins, this 
most loving Mother embraces him, and does not 
disdain to heal the wounds of his soul; for she is 
not only called the Mother of mercy, but is so 
truly and indeed, and shows herself such by the 
love and tenderness with which she assists us all. 
And this is precisely what the Blessed Virgin her¬ 
self said to St. Bridget: “ However much a man 
sins, I am ready immediately to receive him when 
he repents; nor do I pay attention to the number 
of his sins, but only to the intention with which 
he comes: I do not disdain to anoint and heal his 
wounds; for I am called, and truly am, the 
Mother of mercy” “And who can ever tell,” says 


Mary , our Queen , our Mother. 41 

the devout Ludovieus Blosius, “ the goodness, the 
mercy, the compassion, the love, the benignity, 
the clemency, the fidelity, the benevolence, the 
charity, of this Virgin Mother towards men? It 
is such that no words can express it.” 

“ Let us, then,” says St. Bernard, “ cast our¬ 
selves at the feet of this good Mother, and 
embracing them, let us not depart until she 
blesses us, and thus accepts us for her children/' 
Would that all sinners had recourse to this sweet 
mother! for then certainly all would be pardoned 
by God. 

Example. 

The holy St. Leonard of Port Maurice, who 
died in 1751 after preaching 326 missions, preached 
with particular fervor and eloquence when his ser¬ 
mon was on the Blessed Virgin. “ When I reflect,” 
he said once, “ on all the graces and benefits which 
I have received from the Blessed Virgin—and for 
the glory due my high Protectress I must testify to 
them here—I feel as though I werq in one of those 
churches in which there is a miraculous picture of 
the holy Mother and where the walls are hung with 
memorial tablets for graces granted by Mary. The 
holy office which I hold, the habit I wear, all these 
I owe to Mary. I have not a single good thought, 
not one right exercise of my will, not a pure im¬ 
pulse of my heart, but comes through her grace. Be 
thou,” he continued, “ forever praised, my Gracious 
Benefactress. When I am saved at last it will be 
through thy mercy, which I hope to praise through 
all eternity. I would die that I might live with 


42 Explanation of the Salve Regina. 

Mary. Oh, my beloved people, it is not an empty 
word, it is my dearest wish—I desire to die that I 
may live with Mary. Ah, my dear Mother, look 
upon thy poor child, longing to come to thee! And 
you, beloved, say a quiet Hail Mary for me. Oh, 
that you might win this grace for me, that I might 
leave this pulpit to dwell with the Blessed Virgin. 
Amen.” Thus one saint preached of Our Lady. 

Prayer. 

O my sovereign Queen and worthy Mother of my 
God, most holy Mary; I, seeing myself, as I do, so 
despicable and loaded with so many sins, ought not 
to presume to call thee Mother, or even to approach 
thee; yet I will not allow my miseries to deprive 
me of the consolation and confidence that I feel in 
chlling thee Mother; I know well that I deserve that 
thou shouldst reject me; but I beseech thee to re¬ 
member all that thy Son Jesus has endured for me, 
and then reject me if thou canst. To thee have I 
recourse; thou canst help me; my Mother, help me. 
Say not that thou canst not do so; for I know that 
thou art all-powerful, and that thou obtainest what¬ 
ever thou desirest of God. Thou, O Jesus, art my 
Father, and thou, Mary, art my Mother. You both 
love the most miserable, and go seeking them in 
order to save thpm. I deserve hell, and am the most 
miserable of all. But you need not seek me, nor 
do I presume to ask so much. I now present my¬ 
self before you with a certain hope that I shall not 
be abandoned. Behold me at your feet; my Jesus, 
forgive me; my Mother Mary, help me. 


CHAPTER II. 

Yita, Dulcedo. 

OUR LIFE, OUR SWEETNESS. 

Mary, our Life, our Sweetness. 

I. 

Mary is our Life, because she obtains for us the Pardon 
of our Sins. 

To understand why the holy Church makes us 
call Mary our life, we must know that as the soul 
gives life to the body so does divine grace give 
life to the soul; for a soul without grace has the 
name of being alive, but is in truth dead, as it was 
said of one in the Apocalypse, Thou hast the name 
of being alive , and thou art dead. Mary, then, in 
obtaining this grace for sinners by her interces¬ 
sion, thus restores them to life. So that to have 
recourse to Mary is the same thing as to find the 
grace of Cod. The Church applies to her the 
following words: He that shall find me shall find 
life , and shall have salvation from the Lord. 
“ Listen,” exclaims St. Bonaventure on these 
words, “ listen, all you who desire the kingdom 
43 


44 Explanation of the Salve Regina. 

of God: honor the most blessed Virgin Mary, and 
yon will find life and eternal salvation.” 

St. Bernardine of Sienna says that if God did 
not destroy man after his first sin, it was on 
account of his singular love for this holy Virgin, 
who was destined to be born of this race. Hence 
St. Bernard was right in exhorting us “ to seek 
for grace, and to seek it by Mary; ” meaning that 
if we have had the misfortune to lose the grace of 
God, we should seek to recover it, but we should 
do so through Mary; for though we may have 
lost it, she has found it; and hence the saint calls 
her “ the finder of grace.” The angel Gabriel 
expressly declared this for our consolation when 
he saluted the Blessed Virgin, saying, Fear not, 
Mary, thou hast found grace. (Luke i. 30.) But 
if Mary had never been deprived of grace, how 
could the archangel say that she had then found 
it? A thing may be found by a person who did 
not previously possess it; but we are told by the 
same archangel that the Blessed Virgin was 
always with God, always in grace, nay, full of 
grace. Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. 
Since Mary, then, did not find grace for herself, 
she being always full of it, for w T hom did she find 
it? Cardinal Hugo, in his commentary on the 
above text, replies that she found it for sinners 
who had lost it. “Let sinners, then,” says this 


Mary , our Life , our Sweetness. 45 

devout writer, “ who by their crimes have lost 
grace, address themselves to the Blessed Virgin, 
for with her they will surely find it; let them 
humbly salute her, and say with confidence, 
‘ Lady, that which has been found must be re¬ 
stored to him who has lost it; restore us, there¬ 
fore, our property which thou hast found/ ” 

On this subject Bichard of St. Laurence con¬ 
cludes “ that if we hope to recover the grace of 
God, we must go to Mary, who has found it, and 
finds it always.” And as she always was and 
always will be dear to God, if we have recourse 
to her we shall certainty succeed. St. Bernard 
encourages sinners, saying, “ Go to this Mother 
of mercy, and show her the wounds which thy 
sins have left on thy soul; then will she certainty 
entreat her Son, by the breasts that gave him 
suck, to pardon ye all. And this divine Son, 
who loves her so tenderly, will most certainty 
grant her petition.” In this sense it is that the 
holy Church, in her almost daily prayer, calls 
upon us to beg Our Lord to grant us the powerful 
help of the intercession of Mary to rise from our 
sins: “ Grant Thy help to our weakness, 0 most 
merciful God; and that we, who are mindful of 
the holy Mother of God, may by the help of her 
intercession rise from our iniquities.” With rea¬ 
son does St. Bernard call her "the sinners’ lad- 


46 


Explanation of the Salve Regina. 


der; ” since she, the most compassionate Queen, 
extending her hand to them, draws them from an 
abyss of sin, and enables them to ascend to God. 
With reason does St. Augustine call her “ the 
only hope of sinners; ” for by her help alone can 
we hope for the remission of our sins. 

St. John Chrysostom also says “ that sinners 
receive pardon by the intercession of Mary alone.” 
And therefore the saint, in the name of all sin¬ 
ners, thus addresses her: “ Hail, Mother of God 
and of us all, ‘ heaven/ where God dwells, 

- throne/ from which Our Lord dispenses all grace, 

‘ fair daughter. Virgin, honor, glory, and firma¬ 
ment of our Church/ assiduously pray to Jesus 
that in the day of judgment we may find mercy 
through thee, and receive the reward prepared by 
God for those who love him.” Therefore St. 
Germanus says, “ 0 Mother of God, thy protec¬ 
tion never ceases, thy intercession is life, and thy 
patronage never fails.” “ Distrust not, 0 sin¬ 
ner,” says the devout Bernardine de Bustis, 
“ even if thou hast committed all possible sins: 
go with confidence to this most glorious Lady, 
and thou wilt find her hands filled with mercy 
and bounty.” And he adds, “ for she desires 
more to do thee good than thou canst desire to 
receive favors from her.” 

St. Andrew of Crete calls Mary the pledge of 


Mary , our Life , our Sweetness. 47 

divine mercy; meaning that, when sinners have 
recourse to Mary that they may be reconciled 
with God, he assures them of pardon and gives 
them a pledge of it; and this pledge is Mary, 
whom he has bestowed upon us for our advocate, 
and by whose intercession, by virtue of the merits- 
of Jesus Christ, God forgives all who have re¬ 
course to her. 

No sinner having recourse to the compassion 
of Mary should fear being rejected; for she is 
the Mother of mercy, and as such desires to save 
the most miserable. Mary is that happy ark, says 
St. Bernard, “ in which those who take refuge 
will never suffer the shipwreck of eternal perdi¬ 
tion.” Let us, then, enter this ark, let us take 
refuge under the mantle of Mary, and she most 
certainly will not reject us, but will secure our 
salvation. . 


Example. 

Once a great multitude of people were hurrying 
to the church on Mount Calvary to venerate the holy 
cross on which Our Redeemer died. Urged by 
curiosity, Mary of Egypt, another Magdalen, joined 
the throngs. But at the door of the church an in¬ 
visible hand seemed to hold her back. Her heart 
jumped; but she took the impression to be a mere 
freak of her imagination and tried once more, to be 
pushed back again. The startled woman sum¬ 
moned all her courage and tried once more to force 
her way into the Sacred Presence within. This 


48 Explanation of the Salve Regina. 

time the force of the blow and her fright made her 
fall to the earth. Pale and shaken in every fibre 
she lay in the dust. Horror of herself and her life 
came upon her; and she raised her eyes helplessly to 
heaven. Thus looking up she saw a statue of the 
Blessed Virgin which ornamented the exterior of 
the church. At once she rose to her knees and began 
to implore the intercession of Mary: “ Mary, thou 
Refuge of sinners, be thou my hope, since thy Son 
has cast me out. Pray for me and he will no 
longer refuse me but will receive me in pity. To 
whom can I turn if not. to thee, thou Mother of 
mercy ? ” 

Tears of contrition streamed from her eyes, and 
she rose to try once more to enter the church. 
Nothing hindered her now that she had obtained the 
intercession of the Mother of God, the means of 
spiritual life. 

She, who had not been permitted even to enter 
into a temple of stone, through the grace of the 
Blessed Virgin became herself a temple of the Holy 
Ghost. She who had been one of the greatest of 
sinners became a model of true penance and at last 
a saint. At present there is a chapel in honor of St. 
Mary of Egypt, near that same church to which she 
was once denied entrance. 

Prayer. 

Behold, O Mother of my God, my only hope, Mary, 
behold at thy feet a miserable sinner, who asks thee 
for mercy. Thou art proclaimed and called by the 
whole Church, and by all the faithful, the Refuge of 
sinners. Thou art consequently my refuge; thou 
Past to save me. I will say with William of Paris, 
Thou knowest, most sweet Mother of God, how 
much thy blessed Son desires our salvation. Thou 
knowest all that Jesus Christ endured for this end. 


Mary , our Life , our Siceetness. 


49 


I present thee, O my Mother, the sufferings of 
Jesus: the cold that he endured in the stable, his 
journey into Egypt, his toils, his sweat, the blood 
that he shed; the anguish which caused his death 
on the cross, and of which thou wast thyself a wit¬ 
ness. O, show that thou lovest thy beloved Son, and 
by this love I implore thee to assist me. Extend 
thy hand to a poor creature who has fallen and asks 
thy help. Jesus wills that I should have recourse 
to thee, in order not only that his blood may save 
me, but also that thy prayers may assist me in this 
great work; for thy glory, and for his own, since 
thou art his Mother. He sends me to thee, that 
thou mayest help me. O Mary, see, I have recourse 
to thee; in thee do I confide. Thou prayest for so 
many others, pray also for me; say only a word. 
Tell Our Lord that thou wiliest my salvation, and 
God will certainly save me. Say that I am thine, 
and then I have obtained all that I ask, all that I 
desire. 


II. 

Mary is also our Life, because she obtains for us 
Perseverance. 

Final perseverance is so great a gift of God 
that, as it was declared by the holy Council of 
Trent, it is quite gratuitous on his part, and we 
cannot merit it. Yet we are told by St. Augus¬ 
tine that all who seek for it obtain it from God. 
How, if it is true that all the graces that God dis¬ 
penses to men pass through the hands of Mary, it 
will be equally true that it is only through Mary 


50 Explanation of the Salve Regina. 

that we can hope for this greatest of all graces— 
perseverance. And we shall obtain it most cer¬ 
tainly, if we always seek it with confidence 
through Mary. In order that we may be pre¬ 
served in the life of grace, we require spiritual 
fortitude to resist the many enemies of our salva¬ 
tion. Now this fortitude can be obtained by the 
means of Mary. Mary is that tower spoken of in 
the sacred Canticles: Thy neck is as the tower of 
David, which is built with bulwarks; a thousand 
bucklers hang upon it, all the armor of valiant men. 
She is as a well-defended fortress in defence of 
her lovers, who in their wars have recourse to her. 
In her do her clients find all shields and arms, to 
defend themselves against hell. Truly are those 
souls to be pitied who abandon this defence, in 
ceasing their devotion to Mary, and no longer 
recommending themselves to her in the time of 
danger. “ If the sun ceased to rise,” says St. Ber¬ 
nard, “ how could the world become other than a 
chaos of darkness and horror? ” When a soul 
loses devotion to Mary, it is immediately envel¬ 
oped in darkness, and in that darkness of which 
the Holy Ghost speaks in the Psalms: Thou hast 
appointed darkness, and it is night; in it shall all 
the beasts of the woods go about. 

St. Francis Borgia always doubted the perse¬ 
verance of those in whom he did not find particu- 


I 


Mary , our Life , our Sweetness. 51 

lar devotion to the Blessed Virgin. On one 
occasion he questioned some novices as to the 
saints towards whom they had special devotion, 
and perceiving some who had it not towards 
Mary, he instantly warned the master of novices, 
and desired him to keep a more attentive watch 
over these unfortunate young men, who all, as he 
had feared, lost their vocation and renounced the 
religious state. It was, then, not without reason 
that St. Germanus called the most blessed Virgin 
the breath of Christians; for as the body cannot 
live without breathing, so the soul cannot live 
without having recourse to and recommending 
itself to Mary, by whose means we certainly 
acquire and preserve the life of divine grace 
within our souls. 

On the other hand, Mary says in the following 
words of the Book of Proverbs, which are applied 
to her by the Church: Blessed is the man that liear- 
eth me, and that watcheth daily at my gates, and 
waiteth at the posts of my doors —as if she would 
say, Blessed is he that hears my voice and is con¬ 
stantly attentive to apply at the door of my 
mercy, and seeks light and help from me. For 
clients who do this, Mary does her part, and ob¬ 
tains them the light and strength they require 
to abandon sin and walk in the paths of virtue. 
For this reason Innocent III. beautifully calls 


52 Explanation of the Salve Regina . 

her “ the moon at night, the dawn at break of 
day, and the sun at midday.” In the Book of 
Proverbs we are told that all Mary’s clients are 
clothed with double garments. For all her domes¬ 
tics are clothed with double garments. Cornelius a 
Lapide explains what this double clothing is; he 
says that it “ consists in her adorning her faith¬ 
ful servants with the virtues of her Son and with 
her own; ” and thus clothed they persevere in 
virtue. Therefore St. Philip Neri, in his exhor¬ 
tations to his penitents, used always to say: “ My 
children, if you desire perseverance, be devout to 
our blessed Lady.” The Venerable John Berch- 
mans of the Society of Jesus used also to say: 
“ Whoever loves Mary will have perseverance.” 

0, did all men but love this most benign and 
loving Lady, had they but recourse to her always, 
and without delay, in their temptations, who 
would fall? who would ever be lost? He falls 
and is lost who has not recourse to Mary. “ We,” 
says St. Thomas of Villanova, “ need only, when 
tempted by the devil, imitate little chickens, 
wdiich, as soon as they perceive the approach of 
a bird of prey, run under the wings of their 
mother for protection.” Let us then conclude in 
the words of St. Bernard: “ 0 man, whoever thou 
art, understand that in this world thou art tossed 
about on a stormy and tempestuous sea, rather 


Mary , our Life , our Sweetness. 53 

than walking on solid ground; remember that if 
thou wouldst avoid being drowned, thou must 
never turn thine eyes from the brightness of this 
star, but keep them fixed on it, and call on Mary. 
In dangers, in straits, in doubts, remember Mary, 
invoke Mary. Yes, in dangers of sinning, when 
molested by temptations, when doubtful as to 
how you should act, remember that Mary can 
help you; and call upon her, and she will instantly 
succor you. “ Let not her name leave thy lips, 
let it be ever in thy heart.” Your hearts 
should never lose confidence in her holy name, 
nor should your lips ever cease to invoke it. 
“ Following her, thou wilt certainly not go 
astray.” 0, no, if we follow Mary, we shall never 
err from the paths of salvation. “ Imploring 
her, thou wilt not despair.” Each time that we 
invoke her aid, we shall be inspired with perfect 
confidence. “ If she supports thee, thou canst 
not fall; ” “ if she protects thee thou hast nothing 
to fear, for thou canst not be lost; ” “ with her 
for thy guide, thou wilt not be weary, for thy sal¬ 
vation will be worked out with ease.” “ If she 
is propitious, thou wilt gain the port.” If Mary 
undertakes our defence, we are certain of gaining 
the kingdom of heaven. This do, and thou shalt 
live. 


54 


Explanation of the Salve Regina. 


• Example. 

St. Helena, mother of the Emperor Constantine, 
who lived in the fourth century of the Christian era, 
was worthy of being counted among the saints 
because of her great virtues. Indeed, she deserves 
a high rank among the saints because of the evi¬ 
dences she has left us of her devotion to the Blessed 
Virgin. Father Paulinus tells that she was con¬ 
verted even before her son, and that to her piety 
and constant prayers his conversion may be ascribed. 
Nicephorus tells us further that this pious princess 
made a pilgrimage to Nazareth and built a beautiful 
church in honor of Jesus and Mary amidst the 
scenes made memorable by their presence when on 
earth. She also built a church in Bethlehem and 
one in the valley of Josaphat, on the site of the holy 
tomb where the glorious body of the Queen of 
heaven rested until it was transported to heaven. 
In Naples also there is a church built by St. Helena 
in honor of Mary and dedicated by the holy Pontiff 
Sylvester. Indeed it would take too long to tell of 
all places where St. Helena left noble evidences of 
her devotion to the Blessed Virgin. 

Prayer. 

O compassionate Mother, most sacred Virgin, 
behold me at thy feet! If thou protectest me, what 
can I fear ? I only fear lest, in my temptations and 
by my own fault, I may cease to recommend myself 
to thee and thus be lost. But I now promise thee 
that I will always have recourse to thee. O, help 
me to fulfil my promise. Lose not the opportunity 
wdiich now presents itself of gratifying thy ardent 
desire to succor such poor wretches as myself. In 
thee, O Mother of God, I have unbounded con- 


Mary , our Life , our Sweetness. 


55 


fidence. From thee I hope for grace to bewail my 
sins as I ought, and from thee I hope for strength 
never again to fall into them. If I am sick, thou, 
O celestial physician, canst heal me. If my sins 
have weakened me, thy help will strengthen me. 0 
Mary, I hope all from thee; for thou art all-powerful 
with God. Amen. 


III. 

Mary our Sweetness; she renders Death Sweet to her 
Clients. 

0, how great are the sufferings of the dying! 
They suffer from remorse of conscience on ac¬ 
count of past sins, from fear of the approaching 
judgment, and from the uncertainty of their 
eternal salvation. Then it is that hell arms 
itself and spares no efforts to gain the soul which 
is on the point of entering eternity; for it knows 
that only a short time remains in which to gain 
it, and that if it then loses it, it has lost it for¬ 
ever. The devil is come down unto you, having 
great wrath, knowing that he hath but a short time. 
(Apoc. xii. 12.) And for this reason the enemy 
of our salvation, whose charge it was to tempt the 
soul during life, does not choose at death to be 
alone, but calls others to his assistance, according 
to the prophet Isaias: Their houses shall be filled 
with serpents. (Is. xii. 21.) 

Ah, how quickly do the rebellious spirits fly 


56 Explanation of the Salve Regina. 

from the presence of this Queen! If at the hour 
of death we have only the protection of Mary, 
wdiat need we fear from all our infernal enemies? 
David, fearing the horrors of death, encouraged 
himself by placing his reliance on the death of 
the coming Redeemer and on the intercession of 
the Virgin Mother. For though, he says, I should 
walk in the midst of the shadow of death, . . . thy 
rod and thy staff, they have comforted me. (Ps. 
xxii. 4.) Cardinal Hugo, explaining these words 
of the royal prophet, says that the staff signifies 
the cross, and the rod is the intercession of Mary; 
for she is the rod foretold by the prophet Isaias: 
And there shall come forth a rod out of the root of 
Jesse, and a flower shall rise up out of his root. 
(Is. xi. 1.) “ This divine Mother,” says St. Peter 

Damian, “ is that powerful rod with which the 
violence of the infernal enemies is conquered.” 
And therefore does St. Antoninus encourage us, 
saying, “ If Mary is for us, who shall be against 
us?” St. Vincent Ferrer says that not only 
does the most blessed Virgin console and refresh 
them, but that “ she receives the souls of the 
dying.” This loving Queen takes them under 
her mantle, and thus presents them to the Judge, 
her Son, and most certainly obtains their salva¬ 
tion. Father Suarez, in consequence of his devo¬ 
tion to Mary, which was such that he used to say 


Mary , our Life , owr Sweetness. 57 

that he would willingly exchange all his learning 
for the merit of a single “ Hail Mary/’ died with 
such peace and joy that in that moment he said 
“ I could not have thought that death was so 
sweet; ” meaning that he could never have imag¬ 
ined that it was possible, if he had not then 
experienced it, that he could have found such 
sweetness in death. 

You, devout reader, will, without doubt, expe¬ 
rience the same joy and contentment in death, if 
you can then remember that you have loved this 
good mother, who cannot be otherwise than faith¬ 
ful to her children who have been faithful in 
serving and honoring her, by their visits, 
rosaries, and fasts, and still more by fre¬ 
quently thanking and praising her, and often 
recommending themselves to her powerful pro¬ 
tection. Nor will this consolation be with¬ 
held, even if you have been for a time a 
sinner, provided that, from this day, you are 
careful to live well, and to serve this most 
gracious and benign Lady. In your pains, and in 
the temptations to despair which the devil will 
send you, she will console you, and even come her¬ 
self to assist you in your last moments. 

Let us then be of good heart, though we be 
sinners, and feel certain that Mary will come and 
assist us at death, and comfort and console us with 


58 Explanation of the Salve Regina. 

her presence, provided only that we serve her 
with love during the remainder of the time that 
we have to he in this world. Our Queen, one 
day addressing St. Matilda, promised that she 
would assist all her clients at death who, during 
their lives, had faithfully served her. “ I, as a 
most tender Mother, will faithfully be present at 
the death of all who piously serve me, and will 
console and protect them.” 0 God, what a con¬ 
solation will it be at that last moment of our 
lives, when our eternal lot has so soon to be 
decided, to see the Queen of heaven assisting 
and consoling us with the assurance of her pro¬ 
tection. 

Example. 

At Madrid in Spain the leader of a revolutionary- 
band was being led to the place of execution to be 
shot to death. His eyes were bandaged, he was 
kneeling, and the soldiers had even placed their guns 
in position waiting the order to fire, when the An- 
gelus rang out. It is a law in Spain that no one may 
be executed during the ringing of the Angelus. So 
the soldiers put down their guns, and the condemned 
man employed his respite of a few minutes to pray 
devoutly to Mary. And to these few moments of 
prayer he owed his life, for when the soldiers raised 
their guns again a royal officer was seen galloping 
towards the place of execution waving a white cloth 
as a signal of reprieve. The rebel had to promise 
to leave Spain and never again to take arms against 
the queen, and on these conditions his life was 
spared. 


Mary, our Life , our Sweetness. 


59 


Prayer . 

O Mary, in the blood of Jesus, and in thy inter¬ 
cession, is all my hope. Thou art the Queen of 
heaven, the Mistress of the universe; in short, thou 
art the Mother of God. O Comfortress of the afflicted, 
console a poor creature who recommends himself 
to thee. The remorse of a conscience overburdened 
with sins fills me with affliction. If thou dost 
not help me, I am lost. O compassionate Virgin, 
console me; obtain for me true sorrow for my sins;, 
obtain for me strength to amend and to be 
faithful to God during the rest of my life. And 
finally, when I am in the last agonies of death, O 
]\£ary, my hope, abandon me not; then more than 
ever help and encourage me that I may not despair 
at the sight of my sins, which the evil one will then 
place before me. O, sweet Mother, I hope to have 
the consolation of remaining always at thy feet in 
heaven, thanking and blessing and loving thee eter¬ 
nally. O Mary, I shall expect thee at my last hour; 
deprive me not of this consolation. Amen, amen. 


CHAPTER III. 

Spes nostra! Salve. 


MARY, OUR HOPE. 

I. 

Mary is the Hope of All. 

Modern heretics cannot endure that we should 
salute and call Mary our hope: “ Hail, our 
Hope!” They say that God alone is our hope; 
and that he curses those who put their trust in 
creatures in these words of the prophet Jeremias: 
Cursed he the man that trusteth in man. (Jer. 
xvii. 5.) Mary, they exclaim, is a creature; and 
how can a creature be our hope? This is what 
the heretics say; but in spite of this, the holy 
Church obliges all ecclesiastics and religious each 
day to raise their voices, and in the name of all 
the faithful invoke and call Mary by the sweet 
name of “ our Hope ”—the hope of all. 

The angelical Doctor St. Thomas says that we 
can place our hope in a person in two ways: as a 
principal cause, and as a mediate one. Those 
who hope for a favor from a king, hope it from 
60 


Mary , our Hope. 


61 


him as lord; they hope for it from his minister 
or favorite as. an intercessor. If the favor is 
granted, it comes primarily from the king, but it 
comes through the instrumentality of the favor¬ 
ite; and in this case he who seeks the favor is 
right in calling his intercessor his hope. The 
King of heaven, being infinite goodness, desires 
in the highest degree to enrich us with his graces; 
but because confidence is requisite on our part, 
and in order to increase it in us, he has given us 
his own Mother to be our Mother and advocate, 
and to her he has given all power to help us; and 
therefore he wills that we should repose our hope 
of salvation and of every blessing in her. Those 
who place their hopes in creatures alone, inde¬ 
pendently of God, as sinners do, and in order to 
obtain the friendship and favor of a man, fear 
not to outrage his divine Majesty, are most cer¬ 
tainly cursed by God, as the prophet Jeremias says. 
But those who hope in Mary, as Mother of God, 
who is able to obtain graces and eternal life for 
them, are truly blessed and acceptable to the 
heart of God, who desires to see that greatest of 
his creatures honored; for she loved and honored 
him in this world more than all men and angels 
put together. And therefore we justly and rea¬ 
sonably call the Blessed Virgin our hope, trust¬ 
ing, as Cardinal Bellarmine says, “ that we shall 


62 Explanation of the Salve Regina. 

obtain, through her intercession, that which we 
should not obtain by our own unaided prayers.’ 7 
“ We pray to her, 77 says the learned Suarez, “ in 
order that the dignity of the intercessor may sup¬ 
ply for our own unworthiness; so that, 77 he con¬ 
tinues, “ to implore the Blessed Virgin in such a 
spirit is not diffidence in the mercy of God, but 
fear of our own unworthiness. 77 

It is, then, not without reason that the holy 
Church, in the words of Ecclesiasticus, call Mary 
the Mother of holy hope. (Ecclus. xxiv. 24.) She 
is the Mother who gives birth to holy hope in our 
hearts; not to the hope of the vain and transitory 
goods of this life, but of the immense and eter¬ 
nal goods of heaven. 

"Hail, then, 0 hope of my soul! 77 exclaims St. 
Ephrem, addressing this divine Mother; “ hail, 0 
certain salvation of Christians; hail, 0 helper of 
sinners; hail, fortress of the faithful and salva¬ 
tion of the world! 77 Other saints remind us that 
after God, our only hope is Mary; and therefore 
they call her, “ after God, their only hope. 77 

St. Germanus, recognizing in Mary the source 
of all our good, and that she delivers us from 
every evil, thus invokes her: “ 0, my sovereign 
Lady, thou alone art the one whom God has 
appointed to be my solace here below; thou art 
the guide of my pilgrimage, the strength of my 


Mary , our Hope, 


63 


weakness, the riches of my poverty, remedy for 
the healing of my wounds, the soother of my 
pains, the end of my captivity, the hope of my 
salvation! Hear my prayers, have pity on my 
tears, I conjure thee, 0 thou who art my queen, 
my refuge, my love, my help, my hope, and my 
strength.” 

St. Ephrem, reflecting on the present order of 
Providence, by which God wills (as St. Bernard 
says, and as we shall prove at length) that all 
who are saved should he saved by the means of 
Mary, thus addresses her: “ 0 Lady, cease not to 
watch over us; preserve and guard us under 
the wings of thy compassion and mercy, for, after 
God, we have no hope but in thee.” St. Thomas 
of Villanova repeats the same thing, calling her 
“ our only refuge, help, and asylum.” St. Ber¬ 
nard seems to give the reason for this when he 
says, “See, 0 man, the designs of God—designs 
by which he is able to dispense his mercy more 
abundantly to us; for, desiring to redeem the 
whole human race, he has placed the whole price 
of redemption in the hands of Mary that she may 
dispense it at will.” 

We need not, then, be surprised that St. Anto¬ 
ninus applies the following verse of the Book of 
Wisdom to Mary: Now all good things came to me 
together with her. (Wisd. vii. 11.) For as this 


64 Explanation of the Salve Regina. 

Blessed Virgin is the Mother and dispenser of all 
good things, the whole world, and more particu¬ 
larly each individual who lives in it as a devout 
client of this great Queen, may say with truth 
that with devotion to Mary, both he and the 
world have obtained everything good and perfect. 
And Blessed Raymond Jordano also says “ that 
every good, every help, every grace that men have 
received and will receive from God until the end 
of time, came, and will come, to them by the 
intercession and through the hands of Mary/ 7 
Therefore St. Bonaventure says: “That we 
ought all to keep our eyes constantly fixed on 
Mary’s hands, that through them we may receive 
the graces that we desire.” 

0, how many who were once proud have 
become humble by devotion to Mary! how many 
who were passionate have become meek! how 
many in the midst of darkness have found light! 
how many who were in despair have found con¬ 
fidence! how many who were lost have found 
salvation by the same powerful means! And 
this she clearly foretold in the house of Eliza¬ 
beth, in her own sublime canticle: Behold , from 
henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. 
And St. Bernard, interpreting her words, says: 
“All generations call thee blessed, because thou 
hast given life and glory to all nations, for in 


Mary , our Hope. 


65 


thee sinners find pardon, and the just persever¬ 
ance in the grace of God.” 

0 God, how tender are the sentiments of con¬ 
fidence expressed by the enamored St. Bonaven- 
ture towards Jesus our most loving Redeemer, 
and Mary our most loving advocate! He says, 
“ Whatever God foresees to be my lot, I know 
that he cannot refuse himself to any one who 
loves him and seeks for him with his whole heart. 
I will embrace him with my love; and if he does 
not bless me, I will still cling to him so closely 
that he will be unable to go without me. If I 
can do nothing else, at least I will hide myself 
in his wounds, and taking up my dwelling there, 
it will be in himself alone that he will find me.” 
And the saint concludes, “If my Redeemer re¬ 
jects me on account of my sins, and drives me 
from his sacred feet, I will cast myself at those 
of his beloved Mother Mary, and there I will 
remain prostrate until she has obtained my for¬ 
giveness; for thi$ Mother of mercy knows not, 
and has never known, how to do otherwise than 
compassionate the miserable, and comply with 
the desires of the most destitute who fly to her 
for succor; and therefore,” he says, “ if not by 
duty, at least by compassion, she will engage her 
Son to pardon me.” 


66 


Explanation of the Salve Regina. 


Example. 

At the beginning of the fifth century a damnable 
heresy originated in Constantinople. This heresy, 
which was publicly preached by Nestorius, the un¬ 
worthy patriarch of Constantinople, particularly 
attacked the honor and glory of the Blessed Virgin. 
Nestorius taught that there were two persons in 
Christ, a divine and a human, and therefore Mary 
must not be called Mother of God, as she was only 
the mother of the human person. This blasphemous 
assertion outraged the faith and piety of the people 
and there was a general protest against this new 
doctrine. St. Cyril, patriarch of Alexandria, was 
one of the most earnest defenders of the Blessed 
Virgin. Chiefly through his exertions Pope Celestin 
caused a Church council to convene' at Ephesus. 
Here in a short time over two hundred bishops 
assembled, and moreover they met for council in 
a church dedicated to the holy Mother of God, and 
bearing her name. The session began early in the 
morning and lasted until late at night, and the peo¬ 
ple gathered in front of the church even at dawn of 
day and waited with singular patience until the 
decision was announced. When it was at last an¬ 
nounced that the council had pronounced against 
Nestorius the joy of the people knew no bounds. 
The bishops were escorted to their dwelling-places by 
the most distinguished men of the city bearing 
torches. Women and children preceded the proces¬ 
sion with vessels containing incense and other costly 
Oriental perfumes. Hymns in praise of Mary rose 
from thousands of throats. The heresy had been 
uprooted, and the whole Church gave thanks that 
the glory of Mary was vindicated. 


Mary , our Hope. 


67 


Prayer. 

O Mother of holy love, our life, our refuge, and 
our hope, thou well knowest that thy Son Jesus 
Christ, not content with being himself our perpetual 
advocate with the Eternal Father, has willed that 
thou also shouldst interest thyself with him in order 
to obtain the divine mercies for us. He has decreed 
that thy prayers should aid our salvation, and has 
made them so efficacious that they obtain all that 
they ask. To thee, therefore, who art the hope of the 
miserable, do I, a wretched sinner, turn my eyes. My 
confidence in thee is such that if my eternal salva¬ 
tion were in my own hands, I should place it in 
thine, for I rely more on thy mercy and protection 
than on all my own works. My Mother and my hope, 
abandon me not, though I deserve that thou shouldst 
do so. I own that I have too often closed my heart, 
by my sins, against the lights and helps that thou 
hast procured for me from the Lord. But thy com¬ 
passion for the miserable, and thy power with God, 
far surpass the number and malice of my sins. O 
Mary, I trust in thee; in this hope I live; in it I 
desire and hope to die, repeating always, “ Jesus is 
my only hope, and after Jesus the Most Blessed 
Virgin Mary.” 


II. 

Mary is the Hope of Sinners. 

One of the titles which is the most encouraging 
to poor sinners, and under which the Church 
teaches us to invoke Mary in the Litany of Lo- 
retto, is that of “ Refuge of sinners.” In Judea 
in ancient times there were cities of refuge in 


68 Explanation of the Salve Regina. 

which criminals who fled there for protection 
were exempt from the punishments which they 
had deserved. Nowadays these cities are not so 
numerous; there is hut one, and that is Mary, of 
whom the Psalmist says: Glorious things are said 
of thee, 0 city of God. (Ps. lxxxvi. exc. 17.) But 
this city differs from the ancient ones in this 
respect—that in the latter all kinds of criminals 
did not find refuge, nor was the protection ex¬ 
tended to every class of crime; but under the 
mantle of Mary all sinners, without exception, 
find refuge for every sin that they have commit¬ 
ted, provided only that they go there to seek for 
this protection. “ I am the city of refuge/ 7 says 
St. John Damascene, in the name of our Queen, 
“ to all who fly to me. 77 And it is sufficient to 
have recourse to her, for whoever has the good 
fortune to enter this city need not speak to be 
saved. Assemble yourselves, and let us enter into 
the fenced city, and let us be silent there (Jer. viii. 
14), to speak in the words of the prophet Jere- 
mias. “ This city/ 7 says Blessed Albert the Great, 
“ is the most holy Virgin fenced in with grace and 
glory. 77 “And let us be silent there/ 7 that is, con¬ 
tinues an interpreter, “ because we dare not 
invoke the Lord, whom we have offended, she 
will invoke and ask. 77 For if we do not presume 
to ask Our Lord to forgive us, it will suffice to 


Mary , our Hope. 


69 


enter this city and be silent, for Mary will speak 
and ask all that we require. And for this rea¬ 
son a devout author exhorts all sinners to take 
refuge under the mantle of Mary, exclaiming, 
“ Fly, 0 Adam and Eve, and all you their chil¬ 
dren, who have outraged God; fly, and take refuge 
in the bosom of this good Mother. Know you not 
that she is our only city of refuge?” “ the only 
hope of sinners? ” as she is also called in a sermon 
by an ancient writer, found in the works of St. 
Augustine. 

Let us then cry out with St. Thomas of Villa- 
nova, “ 0 Mary, we poor sinners know no other 
refuge than thee, for thou art our only hope, and 
on thee we rely for our salvation.” Thou art our 
only advocate with Jesus Christ; to thee we all 
turn ourselves. 

In the revelations of St. Bridget, Mary is 
called the “ Star preceding the sun,” giving us 
thereby to understand that when devotion 
towards the divine Mother begins to manifest 
itself in a soul that is in a state of sin, it is a 
certain mark that before long God will enrich it 
with his grace. The glorious St. Bonaventure, 
in order to revive the confidence of sinners in 
the protection of Mary, places before them the 
picture of a tempestuous sea, into which sinners 
have already fallen from the ship of divine grace; 


70 Explanation of the Salve Regina. 

they are already dashed about on every side by 
remorse of conscience and by fear of the judg¬ 
ments of God; they are without light or guide, 
and are on the point of losing the last breath of 
hope and falling into despair; then it is that Our 
Lord, pointing out Mary to them, who is com¬ 
monly called the “ Star of the Sea,” raises his 
voice and says, “ 0 poor lost sinners, despair not; 
raise up your eyes and cast them on this beauti¬ 
ful star; breathe again with confidence, for it will 
save you from this tempest, and will guide you 
into the port of salvation.” St. Bernard says the 
same thing: "If thou wouldst not be lost in the 
tempest, cast thine eyes on the star and invoke 
Mary.” 

St. Ephrem, addressing this Blessed Virgin, 
says, “ Thou art the only advocate of sinners, and 
of all who are unprotected.” And then he 
salutes her in the following words: “ Hail, refuge 
and hospital of sinners!”—true refuge, in which 
alone they can hope for reception and liberty. 

The devout Blosius declares that “ she is the 
only refuge of those who have offended God, the 
asylum of all who are oppressed by temptation, 
calamity, or persecution. This Mother is all 
mercy, benignity, and sweetness, not only to the 
just, but also to despairing sinners; so that no 
sooner does she perceive them coming to her, and 


Mary , our Hope. 


71 


seeking her health from their hearts, than she 
aids them, welcomes them, and obtains their 
pardon from her Son. She knows not how to 
despise any one, however unworthy he may be of 
mercy, and therefore denies her protection to 
none; she consoles all, and is no sooner called 
upon than she helps whoever it may he that in¬ 
vokes her. She by her sweetness often awakens 
and draws sinners to her devotion who are the 
most at enmity with God and the most deeply 
plunged in the lethargy of sin; and then, by the 
same means, she excites them effectually, and 
prepares them for grace, and thus renders them 
fit for the kingdom of heaven. God has created 
this his beloved daughter of so compassionate 
and sweet a disposition that no one can fear to 
have recourse to her.” 

Basil of Seleucia encourages sinners, saying, 
“ 0 sinner, be not discouraged, but have recourse 
to Mary in all thy necessities; call her to thine 
assistance, for thou wilt always find her ready to 
help thee; for such is the divine will that she 
should help all in every kind of necessity.” It 
was, then, not without reason that St. Bernard 
addressed the Blessed Virgin, saying, “ Thou, 0 
Lady, dost not reject any sinner who approaches 
thee, however loathsome and repugnant he may 
be. If he asks thy assistance, thou dost not dis- 


72 Explanation of the Salve Regina. 

dain to extend thy compassionate hand to him, 
to extricate him from the gulf of despair.” May 
our God be eternally blessed and thanked, 0 most 
amiable Mary, for having created thee so sweet 
and benign, even towards the most miserable 
sinners! Truly unfortunate is he who loves thee 
not, and who, having it in his power to obtain 
thy assistance, has no confidence in thee. 

Example. 

The holy house of Nazareth, in which the angel 
Gabriel announced to the most blessed among 
women her high destiny, in which Jesus spent the 
years of his childhood and his youth in humble and 
obscure work with Joseph and Mary, has not only 
been preserved for our time, but has been miracu¬ 
lously transported to within reach of the thousands 
and thousands of pilgrims whose faith has urged 
and still urges them to visit Loretto. St. Helena, 
the mother of Constantine, the first Christian em¬ 
peror, came to Nazareth in the year 325. After she 
had located the holy house she built a beautiful 
temple over it. Even in the year 1252 Louis IX., 
the sainted king of France, visited this church and 
received communion there. When, about the middle 
of April in 1291, Ptolemy, the last Christian strong¬ 
hold, was lost to the Greeks, the holy house, as once 
the holy cross, was destined to be taken out of the 
power of the infidels and restored to the faithful. 
On May 9, 1291, the holy house, with the altar, 
crucifix, statue of the Blessed Virgin, and other 
articles contained in it disappeared suddenly from 
Nazareth. Carried miraculously through the air, it 
first descended to earth in Dalmatia, between Tersato 


Mary , our Hope. 


73 


and Fiume, on the coast of the Adriatic, opposite 
Italy. The Blessed Virgin herself revealed to the 
priest of the place, who,was lying mortally ill, that 
the house standing without foundation and built 
after a strange fashion was her house of Nazareth, 
and to attest its miraculous identity the priest was 
to recover his health. After three years and seven 
months the holy house was carried across the 
Adriatic Sea to the Italian coast by angels and 
placed in a laurel grove in a Picenian district, near 
Becanati. On the 7th of September, 1295, the same 
unseen hands raised the holy house and carried it to 
the public highway about one thousand feet from its 
last resting-place, and here it still stands. Many 
investigations and daily miracles attest that this 
is really the house of the Holy Family at Nazareth. 

Prayer . 

O most pure Virgin Mary, I venerate thy most 
holy heart, which was the delight and resting-place 
of God, thy heart overflowing with humility, purity, 
and divine love. I, an unhappy sinner, approach 
thee with a heart all loathsome and wounded. For 
the love of Jesus, take charge of my salvation. 
Through thee do I hope for salvation, I ask not for 
riches, honors, or earthly goods. I seek only the 
grace of God, love towards thy Son, the accomplish¬ 
ment of his will, and his heavenly kingdom, that I 
may love him eternally. Is it possible that thou wilt 
not hear me ? No; for already thou hast granted my 
prayer, as I hope; already thou prayest for me; 
already thou obtainest me the graces that I ask; 
already thou takest me under thy protection. My 
Mother, abandon me not. Never, never cease to 
pray for me, until thou seest me safe in heaven at 
thy feet, blessing and thanking thee forever. Amen. 


CHAPTER IV. 

Ad te clamcunus, exules filii Evee. 

TO THEE DO WE CRY, POOR BANISHED CHILDREN 
OF EYE. 

Mary, our Help. 

I. 

The Promptitude of Mary in assisting those who 
invoke her. 

Truly unfortunate are we poor children of 
Eve; for guilty before God of her fault, and con¬ 
demned to the same penalty, we have to wander 
about in this valley of tears as exiles from our 
country, and to weep over our many afflictions of 
body and soul. But blessed is he who, in the 
midst of these sorrows, often turns to the Corn- 
fortress of the world, to the Refuge of the unfor¬ 
tunate, to the great Mother of God, and devoutly 
calls upon her and invokes her! Blessed is the 
man that heareth me , and that watcheth daily at my 
gates. (Prov. viii. 34.) “ Blessed,” says Mary, “ is 
he who listens to my counsels, and watches con¬ 
tinually at the gate of my mercy, and invokes my 
intercession and aid.” 


74 


Mary , our Help. 


75 


The holy Church carefully teaches us her chil¬ 
dren with what attention and confidence we 
should unceasingly have recourse to this loving 
protectress; and for this purpose commands a* 
worship peculiar to Mary. And not only this, 
hut she has instituted so many festivals that are 
celebrated throughout the year in honor of this 
great Queen: she devotes one day in the week, in 
an especial manner, to her honor: in the divine 
office all ecclesiastics and religious are daily 
obliged to invoke her in the name of all Chris¬ 
tians; and, finally, she desires that all the faith¬ 
ful should salute this most holy Mother of God 
three times a day, at the sound of the Angelus- 
bell. And that we may understand the confi¬ 
dence that the holy Church has in Mary, we need 
only remember that in all public calamities she 
invariably invites all to have recourse to the pro¬ 
tection of this divine Mother, by novenas, 
prayers, processions, by visiting the churches 
dedicated in her honor, and her images. We 
often obtain more promptly what we ask by call¬ 
ing on the name of Mary than by invoking that 
of Jesus. Her Son is Lord and Judge of all, and 
discerns the merits of each one; and therefore if 
he does not immediately grant the prayers of all, 
he is just. When, however, the Mother’s name 
is invoked, though the merits of the suppliant 


76 Explanation of the Salve Regina. 

are not such as to deserve that his prayer should 
be granted, those of the Mother supply that 
he may receive. St. Bonaventure remarks that 
Ruth, whose name signifies “ seeing and hasten¬ 
ing/ 7 was a figure of Mary; “ for Mary, seeing our 
miseries, hastens in her mercy to succor us. 77 
Novarinus adds that “Mary, in the greatness of 
her desire to help us, cannot admit of delay, for 
she is in no way an avaricious guardian of the 
graces she has at her disposal as Mother of mercy, 
and cannot do otherwise than immediately shower 
down the treasures of her liberality on her ser¬ 
vants. 77 The compassion of Mary is poured out 
on every one who asks it, even should it be sought 
for by no other prayer than a simple “ Hail 
Mary. 77 Wherefore Novarinus declares that the 
Blessed Virgin not only runs but flies to assist 
him who invokes her. “ She, 77 sa}^ this author, 
“ in the exercise of her mercy, knows not how to 
act differently from God; for, as he flies at once 
to the assistance of those who beg his aid, faith¬ 
ful to his promise, Ask, and you shall receive 
(John xvi. 24), so Mary, whenever she is invoked, 
is at once ready to assist him who prays to her. 77 

Mary, even when living in this world, showed 
at the marriage-feast of Cana the great compas¬ 
sion that she would afterwards exercise towards 
us in our necessities, and which now, as it were. 


77 


Mary , our Help. 

forces her to have pity on us and assist us, even 
before we ask her to do so. In the second chap¬ 
ter of St. Luke we read that at this feast the 
compassionate Mother saw the embarrassment in 
which the bride and bridegroom were, and that 
they were quite ashamed on seeing the wine fail; 
and therefore, without being asked, and listening 
only to the dictates of her compassionate heart, 
which could never behold the afflictions of others 
without feeling for them, she begged her Son to 
console them simply by laying their distress be¬ 
fore him: they have no wine. (John ii. 3.) No 
sooner had she done so than Our Lord, in order 
to satisfy all present, and still more to console 
the compassionate heart of his Mother, who had 
asked the favor, worked the well-known miracle 
by which he changed the water, brought to him 
in jars, into wine. From this Novarinus argues 
that “ if Mary, unasked, is thus prompt to succor 
the needy, how much more so will she be to suc¬ 
cor those who invoke her and ask for her help? ” 
Should there be any one who doubts as to 
whether Mary will aid him if he has recourse to 
her, Innocent III. thus reproves him: “ Who is 
there that ever, when in the night of sin, had 
recourse to this sweet Lady without being 
relieved? ” 


78 


Explanation of the Salve Regina . 


Example. 

We read in the life of St. Francis de Sales that 
he experienced the efficacy of the Memorare. When 
he was about seventeen years of age he was living in 
Paris, where he was pursuing his studies. At the 
same time he devoted himself to exercises of piety 
and to the holy love of God, in which he found the 
joys of paradise. Our Lord, in order to try him, 
and to strengthen the bands which united him to 
himself, allowed the evil spirit to persuade him that 
all that he did was in vain, as he was already con¬ 
demned in the eternal decrees of God. The dark¬ 
ness and spiritual dryness in which God was pleased 
at the same time to leave him, for he was then insen¬ 
sible to all the sweeter thoughts of the goodness of 
God, caused the temptation to have greater power 
over the heart of the holy youth; and indeed it 
reached such a pitch that his fears and interior des¬ 
olation took away his appetite, deprived him of sleep, 
made him pale and melancholy; so much so that he 
excited the compassion of all who saw him. 

As long as this terrible storm lasted, the saint 
could only conceive thoughts and utter w r ords of 
despondency and bitter grief. “ Then,” said he, “ I 
am to be deprived of the grace of my God, who 
hitherto has shown himself so lovely and sweet to 
me! 0 love, O beauty, to which I have consecrated 

all my affections, I am no longer'to enjoy thy con¬ 
solation! 0 Virgin, Mother of God, the fairest 
amongst all the daughters of Jerusalem, then I am 
never to see thee in heaven! Ah, Lady, if I am not 
to behold thy beautiful countenance in paradise, at 
least permit me not to blaspheme thee in hell! ” 
Such were the tender sentiments of that afflicted 
but at the same time loving heart. The temptation 
had lasted a month, when it pleased Our Lord to de- 


Mary , our Help. 


79 


liver him by the means of that Comfortress of the 
world, the most blessed Mary, to whom the saint 
had some time before consecrated his virginity, and 
in whom, as he declared, he had placed all his hopes. 
One evening on returning home he entered a 
church and saw a tablet hanging on the wall. He 
read it and found the following well-known prayer, 
commonly called “ the prayer of St. Bernard ”; 
“Bemember,0 most pious Virgin Mary, that it never 
has been heard of in any age that any one having 
recourse to thy protection was abandoned.” Falling 
on his knees before the altar of the divine Mother, he 
recited this prayer with tender fervor, renewed his 
vow of chastity, promised to say the rosary every 
day, and then added: “ My Queen, be my advocate 
with thy Son, whom I dare not approach. My 
Mother, if I am so unfortunate as not to be able to 
love my Lord in the next world, and whom I know to 
be so worthy of love, at least do thou obtain that I 
may love him in this world as much as possible. 
This is the grace that I ask and hope for from thee.” 
Having thus addressed the Blessed Virgin, he cast 
himself into the arms of divine mercy and resigned 
himself entirely to the will of God. Scarcely had he 
finished his prayer, when in an instant he was deliv¬ 
ered from his temptation by his most sweet Mother. 
He immediately regained the peace of his soul and 
with it his bodily health, and from that time for¬ 
ward lived most devout to Mary, whose praises and 
mercy he constantly extolled, both in his sermons 
and writings, during the remainder of his life. 

Prayer. 

O Mother of God, Queen of angels and hope of 
men, give ear to one who calls upon thee and has 
recourse to thy protection. I desire to be forever 


80 


Explanation of the Salve Regina. 


thy servant. I offer myself to serve and honor thee 
to the utmost of my power during the whole of my 
life. I know that the service of one so vile and mis¬ 
erable can be no honor to thee, since I have so 
grievously offended Jesus, thy Son and my Redeemer. 
But if thou wilt accept one so unworthy for thy 
servant, and by thy intercession change me, thus 
making me worthy, thig very mercy will give thee 
that honor which so miserable a wretch as I can 
never give thee. Receive me, then, and reject me 
not, O my Mother. The Eternal Word came from 
heaven on earth to seek for lost sheep, and to save 
them he became thy Son. And when one of them 
goes to thee to find Jesus, wilt thou despise it? O 
then help me, my Queen; my Queen, save me. To 
thee do I this day consecrate my whole soul; do thou 
save it. 


II. 

The Greatness of the Power of Mary to defend those 
who invoke her when tempted by the Devil. 

In Judea victories were gained by means of 
the ark. Thus it was that Moses conquered his 
enemies, as we learn from the Book of Numbers. 
And when the ark was lifted up, Moses said: Arise, 
0 Lord, and let Thy enemies he scattered. (Num. 
x. 35.) Thus was Jericho conquered; thus also 
the Philistines; for the ark of God was there. (I. 
Kings xiv. 18.)* It is well known that this ark 
was a figure of Mary. Cornelius a Lapide says: 
“ In time of danger, Christians should fly to the 


Mary , our Help. 


81 


most blessed Virgin, who contained Christ as 
manna in the ark of her womb, and brought him 
forth to be the food and salvation of the world.” 
For as manna was in the ark, so is Jesus (of 
whom manna was a figure) in Mary; and by 
means of this ark we gain the victory over our 
earthly and infernal enemies. “And thus,” St. 
Bernardine of Sienna well observes, “ when Mary, 
the ark of the New Testament, was raised to the 
dignity of Queen of heaven, the power of hell 
over men was weakened and dissolved.” 

“ 0 how the infernal spirits tremble at the very 
thought of Mary, and of her august name! ” says 
St. Bonaventure. “ 0 how fearful is Mary to 
the devils! ” The saint compares these enemies 
to those of whom Job speaks: He diggeth through 
houses in the dark: if the morning suddenly appear , 
it is to them the shadow of death. (Job xxiv. 16.) 
Thieves go and rob houses in the dark; but as 
soon as morning dawns they fly, as if they beheld 
the shadow of death. “ Precisely thus,” in the 
words of the same saint, “ do the devils enter a 
soul in the time of darkness;” meaning when 
the soul is in the obscurity of ignorance. They 
dig through the house of our mind when it is in 
the darkness of ignorance. But then, he adds, 
“ if suddenly they are overtaken by the dawn, 
that is, if the grace and mercy of Mary enters 


82 Explanation of the Salve Regina. 

the soul, its brightness instantly dispels the dark¬ 
ness and puts the infernal enemies to flight, as 
if they fled from death.” 0 blessed is he who 
always invokes the beautiful name of Mary in 
his conflicts with hell! 

The devils tremble even if they only hear the 
name of Mary. St. Bernard declares that in 
“ the name of Mary every knee bows; and that 
the devils not only fear but tremble at the very 
sound of that name.” And as men fall prostrate 
with fear if a thunderbolt falls near them, so do 
the devils if they hear the name of Mary. St. 
Anselm declares that he himself “ knew and had 
seen and heard many who had invoked the name 
of Mary in time of danger, and were immediately 
delivered from it.” 

“ Glorious indeed, and admirable,” exclaims 
St. Bonaventure, “ is thy name, 0 Mary; for 
those who pronounce it at death need not fear 
all the powers of hell; ” for the devils on hearing 
that name instantly fly and leave the soul in 
peace. The same saint adds “ that men do not 
fear a powerful hostile army as much as the pow¬ 
ers of hell fear the name and protection of Mary.” 
“ Thou, 0 Lady,” says St. Germanus, “ by the 
simple invocation of thy most powerful name, 
givest security to thy servants against all the 
assaults of the enemy.” Oh, were Christians but 


Mary , our Help. 


83 


careful in their temptations to * pronounce the 
name of Mary with confidence, never would they 
fall; for, as Blessed Allan remarks, “At the very 
sound of these words, Hail, Mary! Satan flies and 
hell trembles.” 


Example. 

The holy house of Nazareth in the Cathedral at 
Loretto is thirty feet long, thirteen feet wide, and 
thirteen feet high. The walls are a good foot thick. 
The stones of the walls are tufa, of the kind which 
is used as building material at Nazareth. This has 
been shown by chemical examination. The inside 
walls, though blackened by smoke and kissed smooth 
in places by the faithful, have not been changed 
otherwise. From the old wood work of the ceiling— 
it is of cedar-wood—fifty-two lamps are suspended. 
Their light is never permitted to go out. On the 
western wall is the crucifix brought over from 
Nazareth with the holy house. In the centre of 
the holy house is the same altar which was in it at 
the time of its transportation. Silver busts of St. 
Joseph and St. Anne ornament the altar, and inside 
of it is the stone altar on which even St. Peter cele¬ 
brated the holy mysteries. In the wall behind the 
altar is the fireplace at which the blessed Queen of 
heaven prepared the food for her divine Son. Over 
the fireplace is the ancient and wondrous image of 
the Mother of God with the Child Jesus. It is made 
out of cedar-wood and ornamented with a triple 
crown of precious stones, and clothed in cloths of 
gold, on which jewels and gold and silver ornaments 
are applied. This picture too came over with the 
holy house. The image is blackened by time, is 
two feet eight inches high, and the hair, after the 


84 Explanation of the Salve Regina. 

custom of the Nazarenes, flows unbound over the 
shoulders. The statue of the Child is one foot and 
two inches high. It rests on the arm of the Virgin 
and holds up the first finger as if in blessing. In 
the left hand there is a golden ball. The Child, too, 
has the hair flowing over the shoulders. 

Prayer. 

Behold at thy feet, O Mary my hope, a poor sin¬ 
ner, who has so many times been by his own fault 
the slave of hell. Place me under thy mantle; per¬ 
mit me not again to become its slave. I know 
that thou wilt help me and give me the victory, pro¬ 
vided I invoke thee; but I dread lest in my tempta¬ 
tions I may forget thee and neglect to do so. The 
favor, then, that I seek of thee, and which thou 
must grant me, O most holy Virgin, is that I may 
never forget thee, and especially in time of tempta¬ 
tion ; grant that I may then repeatedly invoke thee, 
saying, “ O Mary, help me; O Mary, help me.” 
And when my last struggle comes, at the mo¬ 
ment of death, ah then, my Queen, help me more 
than ever, and thou thyself remind me to call on thee 
more frequently either with my lips or in my heart; 
that, being thus filled with confidence, I may expire 
with thy sweet name and that of thy Son Jesus on 
my lips; that so I may be able to bless thee and 
praise thee, and not to depart from thy feet in para¬ 
dise for all eternity. Amen. 


CHAPTER V. 


Ad te suspiramus gementes et flentes in liac lacrymarum 
valle. 

TO THEE DO WE SIGH, MOURNING AND WEEPING, 
IN THIS VALLEY OF TEARS. 

Mary, our Mediatress. 

I. 

The Necessity of the Intercession of Mary for our 
Salvation. 

That it is not only lawful but useful to invoke 
and pray to the saints, and more especially to the 
Queen of saints, the most holy, and ever blessed 
Virgin Mary, in order that they may obtain us 
the divine grace, is an article of faith, and has 
been defined by General Councils, against heretics 
who condemned it as injurious to Jesus Christ, 
who is our only mediator; but if a Jeremias after 
his death prayed for Jerusalem (II. Mach. xv. 14); 
if the ancients of the Apocalypse presented the 
prayers of the saints to God; if a St. Peter prom¬ 
ises his disciples that after his death he will be 
mindful of them; if a holy Stephen prays for his 
85 


86 Explanation of the Salve Regina. 

persecutors; if a St. Paul prays for his compan¬ 
ions; if, in fine, the saints can pray for us, why 
cannot we beseech the saints to intercede for us? 
St. Paul recommends himself to the prayers of 
his disciples: Brethren , pray for us. (I. Thess. v. 
25.) St. James exhorts us to pray one for another: 
Pray one for another, that you may be saved. 
(James v. 16.) Then we can do the same. 

No one denies that Jesus Christ is our only 
mediator of justice, and that he by his merits has 
obtained our reconciliation with God. But, on 
the other hand, it is impious to assert that God 
is not pleased to grant graces at the intercession 
of his saints, and more especially of Mary his 
Mother, whom Jesus desires so much to see loved 
and honored by all. Who can pretend that the 
honor bestowed on a mother does not redound 
to the honor of the son? The glory of children 
are their fathers. (Prov. xvii. 6.) Whence St. 
Bernard says, “ Let us not imagine that we 
obscure the glory of the Son by the great praise 
we lavish on the Mother; for the more she is hon¬ 
ored, the greater is the glory of her Son.” 
“ There can be no doubt,” says the saint, “ that 
whatever we say in praise of the Mother is equally 
in praise of the Son.” And St. Ildephonsus also 
says, “ That which is given to the Mother re¬ 
dounds to the Son; the honor given to the Queen 


Mary, our Mediatress. 


87 


is honor bestowed on the King.” There can be 
no donbt that by the merits of Jesus, Mary was 
made the mediatress of our salvation; not indeed 
a mediatress of justice, but of grace and inter¬ 
cession; as St. Bonaventure expressly calls her 
“ Mary, the most faithful mediatress of our salva¬ 
tion.” And St. Laurence Justinian asks, “ How 
can she be otherwise than full of grace, who has 
been made the ladder to paradise, the gate of 
heaven, the most true mediatress between God 
and man?” Hence the learned Suarez justly 
remarks that if we implore our blessed Lady to 
obtain us a favor, it is not because we distrust 
the divine mercy, but rather that we fear our own 
unworthiness and the absence of proper’disposi¬ 
tions; and we recommend ourselves to Mary that 
her dignity may supply for our lowliness. 

That it is most useful and holy to have re¬ 
course to the intercession of Mary can only be 
doubted by those who have not faith. But that 
which we intend to prove here is that the inter¬ 
cession of Mary is even necessary to salvation; we 
say necessary—not absolutely, but morally. This 
necessity proceeds from the will itself of God, 
that all graces that he dispenses should pass 
through the hands of Mary, according to the 
opinion of St. Bernard, and which we may now 
with safety call the general opinion of theolo- 


88 Explanation of the Salve Regina. 

gians and learned men. The author of the Reign 
of Mary positively asserts that such is the case. 
It is maintained by Vega, Mendoza, Paciucchelli, 
Segneri, Poire, Crasset, and by innumerable other 
learned authors. Even Father Natalis Alexan¬ 
der, who always uses so much reserve in his 
propositions, even he says that it is the will of 
God that we should expect all graces through the 
intercession of Mary. I will give his own words: 
“ God wills that we should obtain all good things 
that we hope for from him through the powerful 
intercession of the Virgin Mother, and we shall 
obtain them whenever (as we are in duty bound) 
we invoke her.” In confirmation of this, he 
quotes the following celebrated passage of St. 
Bernard: “ Such is God’s will that we should 
have all through Mary.” Father Contenson is 
also of the same opinion; for, explaining the 
words addressed by Our Lord on the cross to St. 
John: Behold thy Mother (John xix. 27), he re¬ 
marks, “ That it is the same thing as if he had 
said: As no one can be saved except through the 
merits of my sufferings and death, so no one will 
be a partaker of the blood then shed otherwise 
than through the prayer of my Mother. He 
alone is a son of my sorrows who has Mary for 
his Mother. My wounds are ever-flowing foun¬ 
tains of grace; but their streams will reach no 


Mary, our Mediatress. 


89 


one but by the channel of Mary. In vain will he 
invoke me as a Father who has not venerated 
Mary as a Mother. And thou, my disciple John, 
if thou lovest me, love her; for thou wilt be be¬ 
loved by me in proportion to thy love for her.” 

This proposition, that all that we receive from 
Our Lord comes through Mary, does not exactly 
please a certain modern writer,* who, although 
in other respects he speaks of true and false devo¬ 
tion with much learning and piety, yet when he 
treats of devotion towards the divine Mother he 
seems to grudge her that glory which was given 
her without scruple by a St. Germanus, a St. 
Anselm, a St. John Damascene, a St. Bonaven- 
ture, a St. Antoninus, a St. Bernardine, the Ven¬ 
erable Abbot of Celles, and so many other learned 
men, who had no difficulty in affirming that the 
intercession of Mary is not only useful but 
necessary. The same author says that the propo¬ 
sition that God grants no grace otherwise than 
through Mary is hyperbolical and exaggerated, 
having dropped from the lips of some saints in 
the heat of fervor, but which, correctly speaking, 
is only to be understood as meaning that through 
Mary we receive Jesus Christ, by whose merits 
we obtain all graces; for he adds, “ To believe 


This author is the celebrated Muratori.—E d. 



90 Explanation of the Salve Regina. 

that God can grant ns no graces without the 
intercession of Mary would be contrary to faith 
and the doctrine* of St. Paul, who says that we 
acknowledge but one God and one Mediator of God 
and men the man Christ Jesus (I. Tim. ii. 5.) 

But with his leave, and going upon his .own 
admissions, mediation of justice by way of merit 
is one thing, and mediation by grace by way of 
prayer is another. And again, it is one thing to 
say that God cannot, and another that he will 
not, grant graces without the intercession of 
Mary. We willingly admit that God is the 
source of every good, and the absolute master of 
all graces; and that Mary is only a pure creature, 
who receives whatever she obtains as a pure favor 
from God. But who can ever deny that it is 
most reasonable and proper to assert that God, 
in order to exalt this great creature, who more 
than all others honored and loved him during her 
life, and whom, moreover, he had chosen to be 
the Mother of his Son, our common Bedeemer, 
wills that all graces that are granted to those 
whom he has redeemed should pass through and 
be dispensed by the hands of Mary? We most 
readily admit that Jesus Christ is the only Medi¬ 
ator of justice, according to the distinction just 
made, and that by his merits he obtains us all 
graces and salvation; but we say that Mary is the 


Mary , our Mediatress. 


91 


mediatress of grace; and that receiving all she 
obtains through Jesus Christ, and because she 
prays and asks for it in the name of Jesus Christ, 
yet all the same whateyer graces we receive, they 
come to us through her intercession. 

There is certainly nothing contrary to faith in 
this, but the reverse. It is quite in accordance 
with the sentiments of the Church, which, in its 
public and approved prayers, teaches us continu¬ 
ally to have recourse to this divine Mother, and 
to invoke her as the “ health of the weak, the 
refuge of sinners, the help of Christians, and as 
our life and hope.” In the Office appointed to 
be said on the feasts of Mary, this same holy 
Church, applying the words of Ecclesiasticus to 
this Blessed Virgin, gives us to understand that 
in her we find all hope. In me is all hope of life 
and of virtue! (Ecclus. xxiv. 25); in Mary is every 
grace. In me is all grace of the way and of the truth 
(ib.); in Mary, finally, we shall find life and eter¬ 
nal salvation: Who finds me finds life , and draws 
salvation from the Lord. (Prov. viii. 35.) And 
elsewhere: They that work by me shall not sin; they 
that explain me shall have everlasting life. (Ecclus. 
xxiv. 30, 31.) And surely such expressions as 
these sufficiently prove that we require the inter¬ 
cession of Mary. 

Moreover, we are confirmed in this opinion by 


92 Explanation of the Salve Regina. 

so many theologians and Fathers, of whom it is 
certainly incorrect to say, as the above-named 
author does, that, in exalting Mary, they spoke 
hyperbolically and allowed great exaggerations to 
fall from their lips. To exaggerate and speak 
hyperbolically is to exceed the limits of truth; 
and surely we cannot say that saints who were 
animated by the Spirit of God, which is truth it¬ 
self, spoke thus. If I may be allowed to make a 
short digression, and give my own sentiment, it 
is, that when an opinion tends in any way to the 
honor of the most blessed Virgin, when it has 
some foundation, and is not repugnant to the 
faith, nor to the decrees of the Church, nor to 
truth, the refusal to hold it, or to oppose it be¬ 
cause the reverse may be true, shows little devo¬ 
tion to the Mother of God. Of the number of 
such as these I do not choose to be, nor do I wish 
my reader to be so, but rather of the number of 
those who fully and firmly believe all that can 
without error be believed of the greatness of 
Mary, according to the Abbot Rupert, who, 
amongst the acts of homage most pleasing to 
this good Mother, places that of firmly believing 
all that redounds to her honor. If there were 
nothing else to take away our fear of exceeding 
in the praises of Mary, St. Augustine should suf¬ 
fice; for he declares that whatever we may say in 


Mary , our Mediatress. 


93 


praise of Mary is little in comparison with that 
which she deserves, on account of her dignity of 
Mother of God; and, moreover, the Church says, 
in the Mass appointed for her festivals, “Thou 
art happy, 0 sacred Virgin Mary, and most 
worthy of all praise.” 

But let us return to the point and examine 
what the saints say on the subject. St. Bernard 
says “ that God has filled Mary with all graces, 
so that men may receive by her means, as by a 
channel, every good thing that comes to them.” 
He says that “ she is a full aqueduct that others 
may receive of her plenitude.” On this the saint 
makes the following significant remark: “ Before 
the birth of the Blessed Virgin,' a constant flow 
of graces wag wanting, because this aqueduct did 
not exist.” But now that Mary has been given 
to the world, heavenly graces constantly flow 
through her on all. 

The devil, like Holofernes, who, in order to 
gain possession of the city of Bethulia, ordered 
the aqueducts to be destroyed, exerts himself to 
his utmost to destroy devotion to the Mother of 
God in souls; for if this channel of grace is 
closed, he easily gains possession of them. And 
here, continues the same St. Bernard, “ See, O 
souls, with what tender devotion Our Lord wills 
that we should honor our Queen, by always hav- 


94 Explanation of the Salve Regina. 

ing recourse to her protection, and by relying on 
it; for in Mary he has placed the plenitude of 
every good, so that henceforward we may know 
and acknowledge that whatever hope, grace, or 
other advantage we possess, all comes from the 
hand of Mary.” St. Antoninus says the same 
thing: “ All graces that have ever been bestowed 
on men, all came through Mary.” And on this 
account she is called the moon, according to the 
following remark of St. Bonaventure: “As the 
moon, which stands between the sun and the 
earth, transmits to this latter whatever it re¬ 
ceives from the former, so does Mary pour out 
upon us who are in this world the heavenly graces 
that she receives from the divine sun of justice.” 

Again, the holy Church calls her “ the happy 
gate of heaven; ” for, as the same St. Bernard re¬ 
marks: “As every mandate of grace that is sent 
by a king passes through the palace gates, so does 
every grace that comes from heaven to the world 
pass through the hands of Mary.” St. Bonaven¬ 
ture says that Mary is called “ the gate of heaven, 
because no one can enter that blessed kingdom 
without passing through her.” 

An ancient author, probably St. Sophronius, in 
a sermon on the Assumption, published with the 
works of St. Jerome, says “ that the plenitude of 
grace which is in Jesus Christ came into Mary, 


Mary , our Mediatress. 


95 


though in a different way; ” meaning that it is 
Our Lord, as in the head, from which the vital 
spirits (that is, divine help to obtain eternal sal¬ 
vation) flow into us, who are the members of his 
mystical body; and that the same plenitude is in 
Mary, as in the neck, through which these vital 
spirits pass to the members. The same idea is 
confirmed by St. Bernardine of Sienna, who ex¬ 
plains it more clearly, saying “ that all graces of 
the spiritual life that descend from Christ, their 
head, to the faithful, who are his mystical body, 
are transmitted through the instrumentality of 
Mary." 

The same St. Bernardine endeavors to assign 
a reason for this when he says “that as God was 
pleased to dwell in the womb of this holy Virgin, 
she acquired, so to speak, a kind of jurisdiction 
over all graces; for when Jesus Christ issued 
forth from her most sacred womb, all the streams 
of divine gifts flowed from her as from a celestial 
ocean.” Elsewhere, repeating the same idea in 
more distinct terms, he asserts that “ from the 
moment that this Virgin Mother conceived the 
divine Word in her womb, she acquired a special 
jurisdiction, so to say, over all the gifts of the 
Holy Ghost, so that no creature has since re¬ 
ceived any grace from God otherwise than through 
the hands of Mary.” 


96 Explanation of the Salve Regina. 

Father Crasset, in a commentary on a passage 
of Jeremias, in which the prophet, speaking of 
the Incarnation of the Eternal Word, and of 
Mary his Mother, says that a woman shall compass 
a man (Jer. xxxi. 22), remarks that “ as no line 
can be drawn from the centre of a circle without 
passing by the circumference, so no grace pro¬ 
ceeds from Jesus, who is the centre of every good 
thing, without passing by Mary, who compassed 
him when she received him into her womb.” 

St. Bernardine says that for this reason “ all 
gifts, all virtues, and all graces are dispensed by 
the hands of Mary to whomsoever, when, and as 
she pleases.” Richard of St. Laurence also as¬ 
serts “ that God wills that whatever good things 
he bestows on his creatures should pass through 
the hands of Mary.” And therefore the Vener¬ 
able Abbot of Celles exhorts all to have recourse 
to “ this treasury of graces,” for so he calls her, 
for the world and the whole human race have to 
receive every good that can be hoped for through 
her alone. “Address yourselves to the Blessed 
Virgin,” he says; “ for by her, and in her, and 
with her, and from her, the world receives, and 
is to receive, every good.” 

It must now be evident to all that when these 
saints and authors tell us in such terms that all 
graces come to us through Mary, they do not 



Mary, our Mediatress. 


97 


simply mean to say that we “ received Jesus 
Christ, the source of every good, through Mary,” 
as the before-named writer pretends; but that 
they assure us that God, who gave us Jesus 
Christ, wills that all graces that have been, that 
are, and will be dispensed to men to the end of 
the world through the merits of Christ should 
be dispensed by the hands and through the inter¬ 
cession of Mary. 

And thus Father Suarez concludes that it is 
the sentiment of the universal Church “ that the 
intercession and prayers of Mary are, above those 
of all others, not only useful but necessary.” 
Necessary in accordance with what we have 
already said, not with an absolute necessity—for 
the mediation of Jesus Christ alone is absolutely 
necessary—but with a moral necessity; for the 
Church believes with St. Bernard that God has 
determined that no grace shall be granted other¬ 
wise than by the hands of Mary. “ God wills,” 
says the saint, “ that we should have nothing that 
has not passed through the hands of Mary; ” and 
before St. Bernard, St. Ildephonsus asserted the 
same thing, addressing the Blessed Virgin in the 
following terms: “ 0 Mary, God has decided on 
committing all good gifts that he has provided 
for men to thy hands, and therefore he has in¬ 
trusted all treasures and riches of grace to thee.” 


98 Explanation of the Salve Regina. 

And therefore St. Peter Damian remarks “that 
God would not become man without the consent 
of Mary; in the first place that we might feel 
ourselves under great obligations to her, and in 
the second that we might understand that the 
salvation of all is left to the care of this Blessed 
Virgin 

St. Bonaventure, in a sermon on the words of 
St. Matthew, They found the child , with Mary his 
Mother (Matt. ii. 2), reminds us that if we wish 
to find Jesus we must go to Mary. We may, 
then, conclude that in vain shall we seek for 
Jesus unless we endeavor to find him with Mary. 

j Example.. 

The Blessed Hermann of the Order of Premon- 
stratensians, who because of his admirable devotion 
to Mary was called Joseph, was wont as a child to 
leave his playmates and spend hours before an image 
of the Blessed Virgin and her divine Child. He 
called Mary his good Mother and brought her an 
apple one day to give to the Child Jesus. His child¬ 
ish trust and simple faith won for him the happiness 
of having Mary really address him. Through her 
assistance he acquired the noble virtues which we 
admire so much in his life. 

St. Stanislaus Kostka chose Mary to be his 
Mother when he was but a tender child, and up to the 
time of his death he was distinguished by his devo¬ 
tion to Mary. Day and night he carried his rosary 
with him. Whenever possible he tried to win others 
to devotion to the Blessed Mother. At the begin- 


Mary , our Mediatress. 99 

ning of August, in the year 1568, a profound desire 
to die filled him, particularly when contemplating 
how joyfully the Feast of the Assumption must be 
celebrated in heaven. Filled with this desire he 
prayed most earnestly to be permitted to be in heaven 
on that day. As St. Laurence was his patron for 
August, he wrote a letter expressing his desire to 
the Blessed Virgin, and then received communion 
on the feast of the saint, August 10th, and entreated 
him to make the contents of the letter known to the 
Blessed Virgin; and behold on the evening of the 
same day he became ill and died between three and 
four o’clock on the morning of the 15th, and was 
vouchsafed to participate with the angels in the joy 
of the glorious Assumption. Though he was only 
nineteen years old, he had yet attained great sanc¬ 
tity. 

When St. Teresa was but twelve years old her 
mother died. Realizing in a measure her great loss 
she went sorrowfully to a picture of the Blessed 
Virgin and entreated her with tears in her eyes to be 
her mother now. She did this in her childish sim¬ 
plicity, but, as she tells us herself, she neyer after 
invoked the aid of Mary without evident answer 
to her prayer, and at last the Blessed Virgin con¬ 
verted her and took her to herself—that is the 
Blessed Virgin obtained for her the grace of the re¬ 
ligious vocation and raised her to the highest 
heights of holiness. (Month of Mary, of P. Francis 
Lalomia, S.J.) 

Prayer of St. Peter Damian. 

Holy Virgin, Mother of God, succor those who 
implore thy aid, O turn towards us, turn to us 
in thy love. I know, O my Lady, that thou art all 
benign, and that thou lovest us with a love that can 


L.oFC. 


100 Explanation of the Salve Regina. 

be surpassed by no other love. How often dost thou 
not appease the wrath of our Judge, when he is on 
the point of chastising us? All the treasures of the 
mercies of God are in thy hands. Ah, never cease 
to benefit us. Thou only seekest occasion to save all 
the wretched and to shower thy mercies upon them; 
for thy glory is increased when by thy means peni¬ 
tents are forgiven and thus reach heaven. Turn, 
then, towards us, that we also may be able to go and 
see thee in heaven; for the greatest glory we can 
have will be, after seeing God, to see thee, to love 
thee, and be under thy protection. Be pleased, then, 
to grant our prayer; for thy beloved Son desires 
to honor thee by denying thee nothing that thou 
askest. 


II. 

The same Subject continued. 

St. Bernard says “ that as a man and a woman 
cooperated in our ruin, so it was proper that an¬ 
other m#n and another woman should cooperate 
in our redemption, and these two were Jesus and 
his Mother Mary.” “ There is no doubt,” says the 
saint, “ that Jesus Christ alone was more than 
sufficient to redeem us; but it was more becoming 
that both sexes should cooperate in the reparation 
of an evil in causing which both had shared.” This 
is confirmed by St. Anselm, who says “ that al¬ 
though God could create the world out of nothing, 
yet, when it was lost by sin, he would not repair 
the evil without the cooperation of Mary.” 


Mary , our Mediatress. 


101 


Suarez says “ that Mary cooperated in our salva¬ 
tion in three ways: first, by having merited by a 
merit of congruity the Incarnation of the Word; 
secondly, by having' continually prayed for us 
whilst she was living in this world; thirdly, by 
having willingly sacrificed the life of her Son to 
God.” For this reason Our Lord has justly decreed 
that as Mary cooperated in the salvation of man 
with so much love, and at the same time gave such 
glory to God, so all men through her intercession 
are to obtain their salvation. 

And as we have access to the Eternal Father, 
says St. Bernard, only through Jesus Christ, so 
have we access to Jesus Christ only through Mary: 
“ By thee we have access to the Son, 0 blessed 
finder of grace, bearer of life, and mother of salva¬ 
tion, that we may receive him by thee, who 
through thee was given to us.” This is the reason 
given by the saint why Our Lord has determined 
that all shall be saved by the intercession of Mary; 
and therefore he calls her the Mother of grace 
and of our salvation. 

“ Then/* asks St. Germanus, “ what will become 
of us—what hope can we have of salvation—if 
thou dost abandon us, 0 Mary, who art the life 
of Christians?” 

Jesus Christ says that no one can find him 
unless the Eternal Father first draws him by the 


102 Explanation of the Salve Regina. 

means of divine grace: No one comes to me unless 
my Father draws him. (John vi. 44.) Thus also 
does Jesus address his Mother, says Eichard of St. 
Laurence: “ No one comes to me unless my 
Mother first of all draws him by her prayers.” 
Jesus was the fruit of Mary, as St. Elizabeth told 
her: “ Blessed art thou amongst women , and blessed 
is the fruit of thy womb.” (Luke i. 42.) Whoever, 
therefore, desires the fruit must go to the tree; 
whoever desires Jesus must go to Mary; and 
whoever finds Mary will most certainly find 
Jesus. 

When St. Elizabeth saw that the most blessed 
Virgin had come to visit her in her own house, not 
knowing how to thank her, and filled with humil¬ 
ity, she exclaimed: And whence is this to me. that 
the Mother of my Lord should visit me? (Ib. 43.) 
But how could this be? we may ask. Did not St. 
Elizabeth already know that not only Mary, but 
also Jesus, had entered her house? Why then 
does she say that she is unworthy to receive the 
Mother, and not rather that she is unworthy to 
receive the Son, who had come to visit her? Ah, 
yes, it was that the saint knew full well that 
when Mary comes she brings Jesus, and there¬ 
fore it was sufficient to thank the Mother without 
naming the Son. 

Therefore Eichard of St. Laurence had good 


Mary , our Mediatress. 


103 


reason for saying that “ as we should fall into the 
abyss if the ground were withdrawn from under 
our feet, so does a soul deprived of the succor of 
Mary first fall into sin, and then into hell.” St. 
Bonaventure says that “ God will not save us 
without the intercession of Mary;” and that “ as 
a child cannot live without a nurse to suckle it, so 
no one can be saved without the protection of 
Mary.” Therefore he exhorts us “ to thirst after 
devotion to her, to preserve it with care, and never 
to abandon it until we have received her maternal 
blessing in heaven.” Let us, then, in the words of 
St. Bernard, “ endeavor to venerate this divine 
Mother with the whole affection of our hearts; for 
such is the will of God, who is pleased that we 
should receive every good thing from her hand.” 
And therefore the saint exhorts us, whenever we 
desire or ask for any grace, to recommend our¬ 
selves to Mary, and to he assured that we shall 
receive it by her means; for he says, If thou dost 
not deserve the favor from God, Mary, who will 
ask it for thee, will deserve to receive it; “ because 
thou wast unworthy of the gift, it was bestowed 
on Mary, that through her thou mightest receive 
all that thou hast.” The saint then advises us to 
recommend all that we offer to God to the care of 
Mary, be they good works or prayers, if we wish 
Our Lord to accept them. “ Whatever thou mayest 


104 Explanation of the Salve Regina. 

offer to God, be sure to recommend it to Mary, in 
order not to meet with a repulse.” 


Example. 

St. Peter Damian lived at a time of which it might 
be said with truth that all flesh was seeking its own 
destruction. Moved by divine inspiration to oppose 
this sad tendency, St. Peter Damian tried to restore 
faith in the help of Mary. With the sanction of 
the Holy Father, he introduced the pious custom of 
praying especially to Mary at different times of the 
day. A wonderful thing happened in this con¬ 
nection, and is related by St. Damian, who was him¬ 
self one of the eye-witnesses. The monks of the 
monastery at Gonurgei had been in the habit of 
saying these prayers to Mary for about three years, 
when one of them named Gozon, who concealed an 
unreligious mind under a religious habit, began 
to find fault with these devotions, saying that it was 
enough to read the office ordered by St. Benedict 
without adding to it prayers invented by people 
who were trying to wki the reputation of holiness at 
the expense of others. This speech made such an 
impression on his brethren that they decided to drop 
the devotions to Mary. But wonderful are the de- 
creeS'of God! Ho sooner had they come to this deci¬ 
sion than they were assailed by troubles on all sides. 
Soldiers and robbers seized some of their lands. 
Some of their buildings burned down, people were 
assassinated on their lands, and at last they them¬ 
selves began to quarrel and quibble. So much mis¬ 
ery opened their eyes, and they sent for St. Damian 
and asked counsel of him. He at once told them to 
resume their suspended devotion to the Blessed 
Virgin. Soon their miseries vanished and peace, 


Mary , our Mediatress. 


105 


prosperity, and unity returned to their house. They 
had learned how well it is to live under the pro¬ 
tection of the Queen of heaven and how much sor¬ 
row awaits those who leave it. 

Prayer. 

O Queen and Mother of mercy, who dispensest 
graces to all who have recourse to thee with so much 
liberality, because thou art a Queen, and with so 
much love, because thou art our most loving Mother; 
to thee do I, who am so devoid of merit and virtue, 
and so loaded with debts to the divine justice, recom¬ 
mend myself this day. O Mary, thou holdest the 
keys of all the divine mercies; forget not my mis¬ 
eries, and leave me not in my poverty. Thou art so 
liberal with all, and givest more than thou art asked 
for, O be thus liberal with me. O Lady, protect me; 
this is all that I ask of thee. If thou protectest me, 
I fear nothing. I fear not the evil spirits; for thou 
art more powerful than all of them. I fear not my 
sins; for thou by one word canst obtain their full 
pardon from God. And if I have thy favor, I do 
not even fear an angry God; for a single prayer of 
thine will appease him. In fine, if thou protectest 
me, I hope all; for thou art all-powerful. O Mother 
of mercy, I know that thou takest pleasure and dost 
glory in helping the most miserable, and, provided 
they are not obstinate, that thou canst help them. I 
am a sinner, but am not obstinate; I desire to change 
my life. Thou canst, then, help me; O help me and 
save me. I now place myself entirely in thy hands. 
Tell me what I must do in order to please God, and 
I am ready for all, and hope to do all with thy help, 
O Mary—Mary my Mother, my light, my consola¬ 
tion, my refuge, my hope. Amen, amen, amen. 


CHAPTER VI. 

Eia ergo, Advocata nostra! 

0 GRACIOUS ADVOCATE. 

Mary, our Advocate. 

I. 

Mary is an Advocate who is able to save all. 

So great is the authority that mothers possess 
over their sons, that even if they are monarchs, 
and have absolute dominion over every person in 
their kingdom, yet never can mothers become the 
subjects of their sons. It is true that Jesus now 
in heaven sits at the right hand of the Father, that 
is, as St. Thomas explains it, even as man, on ac¬ 
count of the hypostatical union with the Person of 
the divine Word. He has supreme dominion over 
all, and also over Mary; it will nevertheless be 
always true that for a time when he was living in 
this world he was pleased to humble himself and 
to be subject to Mary, as we are told by St. Luke: 
And he was subject to them. (Luke ii. 51.) 

And still more, says St. Ambrose, Jesus Christ 
having deigned to make Mary his Mother, inas- 
106 


Mary , our Advocate. 


107 


much as he was her Son, he was truly obliged to 
obey her. And for this reason, says Richard of 
St. Laurence, “ of other saints we say that they are 
with God; hut of Mary alone can it he said that 
she was so far favored as to he not only herself 
submissive to the will of God, hut even that God 
was subject to her will.” And whereas of all 
other virgins, remarks the same author, we must 
say that they follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth 
(Apoc. xiv. 4), of the Blessed Virgin Mary we 
can say that the Lamb followed her, having become 
subject to her. 

And here we say, that although Mary, now in 
heaven, can no longer command her Son, neverthe¬ 
less her prayers are always the prayers of a 
Mother, and consequently most powerful to obtain 
whatever she asks. “ Mary,” says St. Bonaventure, 
“ has this great privilege, that with her Son she 
above all the saints is most powerful to obtain 
whatever she wills.” And why? Precisely for the 
reason on which we have already touched, and 
which we shall later on again examine at greater 
length, because they are the prayers of a mother. 

Therefore, says St. Peter Damian, the Blessed 
Virgin can do whatever she pleases both in heaven 
and on earth. She is able to raise even those who 
are in despair to confidence; and he addresses her 
in these words: “ All power is given to thee in 


108 Explanation of the Salve Regina. 

heaven and on earth, and nothing is impossible to 
thee who canst raise those who are in despair to 
the hope of salvation/’ And then he adds that 
“ when the Mother goes to seek a favor for us from 
Jesus Christ, her Son esteems her prayers so 
greatly, and is so desirous to satisfy her, that when 
she prays it seems as if she rather commanded than 
prayed, and was rather a queen than a handmaid/’ 
Jesus is pleased thus to honor his beloved Mother 
who honored him so much during her life by 
immediately granting all that she asks or desires. 
This is beautifully confirmed by St. Germanus, 
who addressing our blessed Lady says: “ Thou art 
the Mother of God, and all-powerful to save sin¬ 
ners, and with God thou needest no other recom¬ 
mendation; for thou art the Mother of true life.” 

“ At the command of Mary, all obey, even God.” 
St. Bernardine fears not to utter this sentence; 
meaning, indeed, to say that God grants the 
prayers of Mary as if they were commands. And 
hence St. Anselm addressing Mary says: “ Our 
Lord, 0 most holy Virgin, has exalted thee to such 
a degree that by his favor all things that are pos¬ 
sible to him should be possible to thee.” “ For 
thy protection is omnipotent, 0 Mary,” says Cos- 
mas of Jerusalem. “ Yes, Mary is omnipotent,” 
repeats Bichard of St. Laurence; “ for the queen 
by every law enjoys the same privileges as the king. 


Mary, our Advocate* 


10 & 


And as,” lie adds, “ the power of the son and that 
of the mother is the same, a mother is made om¬ 
nipotent by an omnipotent son.” “ And thus,”' 
says St. Antoninus, “ God has placed the whole 
Church, not only under the patronage, but even 
under the dominion of Mary.” 

Since the Mother, then, should have the same 
power as the Son, rightly has Jesus, who is om¬ 
nipotent, made Mary also omnipotent; though, of 
course, it is always true that where the Son is 
omnipotent by nature, the Mother is only so by 
grace. But that she is so is evident from the fact 
that whatever the Mother asks for, the Son never 
denies her. Mary, then, is called omnipotent ini 
the sense in which it can be understood of a 
creature who is incapable of a divine attribute. 
She is omnipotent, because by her prayers she 
obtains whatever she wills. 

With good reason, then, 0 great advocate, does 
St. Bernard say, “ Thou wiliest, and all things are 
done.” And St. Anselm: “ Whatever thou, O 
Virgin, wiliest can never be otherwise than accom¬ 
plished.” Thou wiliest, and all is done. If thou 
art pleased to raise a sinner from the lowest abyss, 
of misery to the highest degree of sanctity, thou 
canst do it. 

Thus St. Peter Damian, reflecting on the great 
power of Mary, and begging her to .take compas- 


110 


Explanation of the Salve Regina. 


sion on ns, addresses her, saying: “ 0 let thy 
natnre move thee, let thy pcwer move thee; 
for the more thou art powerful, the greater 
should thy mercy be.” 0 Mary, our own 
beloved advocate, since thou hast so compas¬ 
sionate a heart that thou canst not even see the 
wretched without being moved to pity, and since, 
at the same time, thou hast so great power with 
God that thou canst save all whom thou dost pro¬ 
tect, disdain not to undertake the cause of us 
poor miserable creatures who place all our hope in 
thee. If our prayers cannot move thee, at least let 
thine own benign heart do so; or at least let thy 
power do so, since God has enriched thee with so 
great power, in order that the richer thou art in 
power to help us, the more merciful thou mayest 
be in the will to assist us. But St. Bernard reas¬ 
sures us on this point: for he says that Mary is as 
immensely rich in mercy as she is in power; and 
that, as her charity is most powerful, so also it is 
most clement and compassionate, and its effects 
continually prove it to be so. He thus expresses 
himself: “ The most powerful and merciful charity 
of the Mother of God abounds in tender compas¬ 
sion and in effectual succor: it is equallv rich in 
both.” 

From' the time that Mary came into the world, 
her only thought, after seeking the glory of God, 




Mary , our Advocate . 


Ill 


was to succor the miserable. And even then she 
enjoyed the privilege of obtaining whatever she 
asked. This we know from what occurred at the 
marriage feast of Cana in Galilee. When the wine 
failed, the most blessed Virgin, being moved to 
compassion at the sight of the affliction and shame 
of the bride and bridegroom, asked her Son to 
relieve them by a miracle, telling him that 
they had no wine. Jesus answered: Woman, what 
is that to thee and me? My hour is not yet come. 
(John ii. 3.) And here remark that although 
Our Lord seemed to refuse his Mother the 
favor she asked, and said, What is it to thee, 
0 woman, and to me, if the wine has failed? 
This is not the time for me to work a miracle; 
the time will he when I begin to preach, and 
when miracles will be required to confirm my 
doctrines—yet Mary, as if the favor had already 
been granted, desired those in attendance to 
fill the jars with water, for they would be imme¬ 
diately satisfied. And so it was; for Jesus, to 
content his Mother, changed the water into the 
best wine. For though, generally speaking, the 
time for miracles was not come, yet from all eter¬ 
nity God had determined by another decree that 
nothing that she asked should ever be refused 
to the divine Mother. And therefore Mary, who 
well knew her privilege, although her Son seemed 


112 Explanation of the Salve Regina. 

to have refused her the favor, yet told them to fill 
the jars with water, as if her request had already 
been granted. That is the sense in which St. John 
Chrysostom understood it; for, explaining these 
words of Our Lord, Woman, what is it to thee and 
me? he says that “ though Jesus answered thus, 
yet in honor of his Mother he obeyed her wish.” 
This is confirmed by St. Thomas, who says that by 
the words. My hour is not yet come , Jesus Christ 
intended to show that had the request come from 
any other he would not then have complied with 
it; but because it was addressed to him *by his 
Mother he could not refuse it. St. Cyril and St. 
Jerome, quoted by Barrada, say the same thing. 
Also Gandavensis, on the foregoing passage of St. 
John, says that “ to honor his Mother, Our Lord 
anticipated the time for working miracles.” 

In fine, it is certain that no creature can obtain 
so many mercies for us as this tender advocate, 
who is thus honored by God, not only as his 
beloved handmaid, but also as his true Mother. 
Valerius Maximus relates that when Coriolanus 
was besieging Borne, the prayers of his friends and 
all the citizens were insufficient to make him 
desist; but as soon as he beheld his mother 
Veturia imploring him, he could no longer refuse, 
and immediately raised the siege. But the prayers 
of Mary with Jesus are as much more powerful 


Mary , our Advocate. 


113 


than those of Veturia as the love and gratitude of 
this Son for his most dear Mother are greater. 

St. Antoninus says that “ the prayers of the 
Blessed Virgin, being the prayers of a mother, 
have in them something of a command; so that it 
is impossible that she should not obtain what she 
asks.” “ And perchance,” says St. Augustine, “ it 
is unworthy of the benignity of that Lord to be 
thus jealous of the honor of his Mother, who 
declares that he came into the world, not to break 
but to observe the law; but this law commands us 
to honor our parents.” St. George, Archbishop of 
Nicomedia, says that Jesus Christ, even as it were 
to satisfy an obligation under which he placed 
himself towards his Mother, when she consented to 
give him his human nature, grants all she asks: 
“ the Son, as if paying a debt, grants all thy 
petitions.” 

Therefore St. Augustine says “ that Mary, hav¬ 
ing merited to give flesh to the divine Word, and 
thus supply the price of our redemption that we 
might be delivered from eternal death; therefore 
is she more powerful than all others to help us to 
gain eternal life.” St. Theophilus, Bishop of 
Alexandria in the time of St. Jerome, left in writ¬ 
ing the following words: “ The prayers of his 
Mother are a pleasure to the Son, because he 
desires to grant all that is granted on her account. 


114 Explanation of the Salve Regina. 

and thus recompense her for the favor she did him 
in giving him his body.” St. John Damascene, 
addressing the Blessed Virgin, says, “ Thou, 0 
Mary, being Mother of the most high God, canst 
save all by thy prayers, which are increased in 
value by the maternal authority.” 

Let us conclude with St. Bonaventure, who, con¬ 
sidering the great benefit conferred on us by Our 
Lord in giving us Mary for our advocate, thus 
addresses her: “ 0 truly immense and admirable 
goodness of our God, which has been pleased to 
grant thee, 0 sovereign Mother, to us miserable 
sinners for our advocate, in order that thou, by thy 
powerful intercession, mayest obtain all that thou 
pleasest for us.” “ 0 wonderful mercy of our 
God,” continues the same saint, “ who in order 
that we might not fly on account of the sentence 
that might be pronounced against us, has given us 
his own'Mother and the patroness of graces to be 
our advocate.” 


Example. 

In the year 1683 the Turkish hosts forced their 
way through Hungary to Vienna, and were besieg¬ 
ing that city with an army of two hundred thousand 
men. When Pope Innocent XI. heard of this ter¬ 
rible danger to all Christendom, he proclaimed a 
general jubilee, and granted a plenary indulgence 
to all who would come to the relief of Emperor 
Leopold I., by prayers, money, arms, or service. He 


Mary , our Advocate. 


115 


entreated the faithful to do penance and reform, 
and exhorted them particularly to have recourse to 
the intercession of the Blessed Virgin, whose 
prayers are all-powerful with her Son. 

The siege lasted for sixty days, and it seemed im¬ 
possible to hold the city any longer. But when the 
need is greatest, the help of God is nearest. John 
Sobieski, the king of Poland, was hurrying in forced 
marches to join Duke Charles of Lorraine, who was 
the commander-in-chief of the allied armies. Al¬ 
though the Turks exceeded in numbers the Christian 
forces, yet the Christian leaders depended upon the 
prayers of the Blessed Virgin. The Polish king 
called upon the soldiers to have faith in Mary, and 
wdth the cry, “ Jesus and Mary,” the Christians fell 
upon the enemy. Confusion came over the Turks 
and they took to flight in wild disorder. The camp 
equipment, artillery, and munition of the enemy, to 
say nothing of provisions and treasures, were all 
taken by the Christians. This grand victory was 
unanimously ascribed to the intercession of the 
Blessed Virgin. In memory of the wonderful event 
Pope Innocent XI. ordered that the feast of the 
name of Mary should be kept every year by all 
Christendom on the Sunday after the Feast of her 
Nativity. 

Prayer of St. Ephrem. 

O immaculate and wholly pure Virgin Mary, 
Mother of God, Queen of the world, hope of those 
who are in despair; thou art the joy of the saints; 
thou art the peacemaker between sinners and God; 
thou art the advocate of the abandoned, the secure 
haven of those who are on the sea of the world; thou 
art the consolation of the world, the ransom. of 
slaves, the comfortress of the afflicted, the salvation 
of the universe. O great Queen, we take refuge in 


116 


Explanation of the Salve Regina. 


thy protection. “We have no confidence but in thee, 
O most faithful Virgin.” After God, thou art all 
my hope. We bear the name of thy servants; allow 
not the enemy to drag us to hell. I salute theje, O 
great mediatress of peace between men and God, 
Mother of Jesus our Lord, who is the love of all men 
and of God, to whom be honor and benediction with 
the Father and the Holy Ghost, Amen. 


II. 


Mary is so tender an Advocate that she does not refuse 
to defend the Cause even of the most miserable. 


So many are the reasons that we have for loving 
this our most loving Queen, that if Mary was 
praised throughout the world; if in every sermon 
Mary alone was spoken of; if all men gave their 
lives for Mary; still all would be little in com¬ 
parison with the homage and gratitude that we 
owe her in return for the tender love she bears to 
men, and even to the most miserable sinners who 
preserve the slightest spark of devotion for her. 
Blessed Raymond Jordano says: “ Mary, as our 
most loving advocate, herself offers the prayers of 
her servants to God, and especially those who are 
placed in her hands; for as the Son intercedes for 
us with the Father, so does she intercede with the 
Son, and does not cease to make interest with 
both for the great affair of our salvation, and to 


Mary , our Advocate. 


117 


obtain for us the graces we ask.” He adds “ that 
her benignity and mercy are so great that no one, 
however enormous his sins may be, should fear to 
cast himself at her feet, for she never can reject 
any one who has recourse to her.” 

But should there by chance be a sinner who, 
though not doubting Ler power, might doubt the 
compassion of Mary, fearing perhaps that she 
might be unwilling to help him on account of the 
greatness of his sins, let him take courage from the 
words of St. Bonaventure: “ The great, the special 
privilege of Mary is, that she is all-powerful with 
her Son.” “ But,” adds the saint, “ to what pur¬ 
pose would Mary have so great power if she cared 
not for us?” “ No,” he concludes, “ let us not 
doubt, but be certain, and let us always thank Our 
Lord and his divine Mother for it, that in propor¬ 
tion as her power wdth God exceeds that of all the 
saints, so is she in the same proportion our most 
loving advocate, and the one who is the most 
solicitous for our welfare.” 

Mary takes care of all, even of sinners; indeed 
she glories in being called in a special manner their 
advocate. “ Oh, with what efficacy and love,” says 
St. Bernard, “ does this good advocate interest 
herself in the affair of our salvation! ” St. Bona¬ 
venture, considering the affection and zeal with 
which Mary intercedes for us with the divine 


118 Explanation of the Salve Regina. 

Majesty, in order that Our Lord may pardon us 
our sins, help us with his grace, free us from dan¬ 
gers, and relieve us in our wants, says, addressing 
the Blessed Virgin, in the words of an ancient 
writer: “ We know that we have as it were but one 
solicitous in heaven for us, and thou art this one, 
so greatly does thy solicitude for us exceed that of 
all the saints.” That is, “ 0 Lady, it is true that 
all the saints desire our salvation, and pray for 
us; but the love, the tenderness that thou showest 
us in heaven, in obtaining for us by thy prayers 
so many mercies from God, obliges us to acknowl¬ 
edge that in heaven we have but one advocate, and 
that is thyself; and that thou alone art truly 
loving and solicitous for our welfare.” 

For this reason is Mary called by St. Bonaven- 
ture “ the wise Abigail.” This is the woman we 
read of in the first Book of Kings, who by her 
beautiful supplications knew so well how to 
appease King David when he was indignant against 
Nabal; and indeed so far as to induce him to bless 
her, in gratitude for having prevented him, by her 
sweet manners, from avenging himself on Nabal 
with his own hands. This is exactly what Mary 
constantly does in heaven, in favor of innumerable 
sinners: by her tender and unctuous prayers she 
knows so well how to appease the divine justice 
that God himself blesses her for it, and, as it were, 


Mary , our Advocate. 


119 


thanks her for having withheld him from abandon¬ 
ing and chastising them as they deserved. 

“ There is no doubt / 5 says St. Bernard, “ that 
Jesns Christ is the only mediator of justice 
between men and God; that, by virtue of his own 
merits and promises, he will and can obtain us 
pardon and the divine favors; but because men 
acknowledge and fear the divine Majesty, which 
is in him as God, for this reason it was necessary 
to assign us another advocate, to whom we might 
have recourse with less fear and more confidence, 
and this advocate is Mary, than whom w r e cannot 
find one more powerful with his divine majesty, or 
one more merciful towards ourselves . 55 The saint 
says, “ Christ is a faithful and powerful Mediator 
between God and men, but in him men fear the 
majesty of God. A mediator, then, was needed 
with the mediator himself; nor could a more 
fitting one be found than Mary . 55 

“ But , 55 continues the same saint, “ should any 
one fear to go to the feet of this most sweet advo¬ 
cate, who has nothing in her of severity, nothing 
terrible, but who is all courteous, amiable, and 
benign, he would indeed be offering an insult to 
the tender compassion of Mary . 55 And he adds, 
“ Read, and read again, as often as you please, all 
that is said of her in the Gospels, and if you can- 
find the least trait of severity recorded of her. 


120 Explanation of the Salve Regina. 

then fear to approach her. But no, this you can 
never find; and therefore go to her with a joyful 
heart and she will save you by her intercession/ 7 

“ Be comforted then, 0 you who fear, 77 will I say 
with St. Thomas of Villanova: “breathe freely and 
take courage, 0 wretched sinners; this great Vir¬ 
gin, who is the Mother of your God and Judge, is 
also the advocate of the whole human race; fit for 
this office, for she can do what she wills with God; 
most wise, for she knows all the means of appeas¬ 
ing him; universal, for she welcomes all, and 
refuses to defend no one. 77 

Example. 

In the month of May, 1867, the Redemptorists at 
Huete in Spain made a novena to Our Lady of Per¬ 
petual Help, whose image is venerated in their 
church. The whole city took part in this beautiful 
devotion. One woman brought her seven-year-old 
boy, who had been blind for three months as a result 
of the small-pox. With tears in her eyes she knelt 
down before the picture and said to the boy: “ Dear 
child, pray to Our Lady of Perpetual Help, that she 
may restore your eyesight. 77 Then the child raised 
his hands and said: “ O Lady of Perpetual Help, I 
have lost my eyes, give me my eyes again.” He had 
hardly uttered these words when he called out in a 
loud voice: “ Mother, mother, I see the Blessed 

Virgin! Oh, how beautiful she is. I can see you too. 
I can see my hands.” The happy mother pressed 
her child to her heart, and the whole city took a 
pious interest and delight in him. (Manual of 
Our Lady of Perpetual Help.) 


Mary , our Advocate. 


121 


Prayer of William, Bishop of Paris. 

O Mother of God, I have recourse to thee, and I 
call upon thee not to reject me; for the whole congre¬ 
gation of the faithful calls and proclaims thee the 
Mother of mercy. Thou art that one who, from 
being so dear to God, art always graciously heard; 
thy clemency was never wanting to any one; thy 
most benign affability never despised any sinner 
who had recourse to thee, however enormous his 
crimes. Can it be falsely or in vain that the Church 
calls thee her advocate and the refuge of sinners? 
Never let it be said that my sins could prevent thee 
from fulfilling the great office of mercy, which is 
peculiarly thine own, by which thou art the advocate 
and mediatress of peace, the only hope and most 
secure refuge of the miserable. Never, shall it be 
said that the Mother of God, who for the benefit of 
the world brought forth him who is the fountain of 
mercy, denied her mercy to any sinner who had 
recourse to her. Thine office is that of peacemaker 
between God and men; let, then, the greatness of 
thy compassion, and which far exceeds my sins, 
move thee to help me. 


III. 

Mary is the Peacemaker between Sinners and God. 

Mary was prefigured by the dove which re¬ 
turned to Noe in the Ark with an olive branch 
in its beak (Gen. viii. 2) as a pledge of the peace 
which God granted to men. And on this idea 
St. Bonaventure thus addresses our blessed Lady: 
“ Thou art that most faithful dove; thou wast a 


122 Explanation of the Salve Regina. 

sure mediatress between God and the world, lost 
in a spiritual deluge; thou, by presenting thyself 
before God, hast obtained for a lost world peace 
and salvation.” Mary, then, was the heavenly 
dove which brought to a lost world the olive- 
branch, the sign of mercy, since she in the first 
place gave us Jesus Christ, who is the source of 
mercy; and then, by his merits, obtained all 
graces for us. 

The chief office given to Mary, on being placed 
in this w r orld, was to raise up souls that had fallen 
from divine grace, and to reconcile them with 
God. Feed tliy goats (Cant. i. 7) was Our Lord’s 
command to her in creating her. It is well 
known that sinners are understood by goats, and 
that as at the last judgment, the just, under the 
figure of sheep, will be on the right hand, so will 
the goats be on the left. “ These goats,” says 
the Abbot William, “ are intrusted to thee, 0 
great Mother, that thou mayest change them into 
sheep; and those who by their sins deserve to be 
driven to the left will by thy intercession be 
placed on the right.” And therefore Our Lord 
revealed to St. Catharine of Sienna “ that he 
had created this his beloved daughter to be as a 
most sweet bait by which to catch men, and espe¬ 
cially sinners, and draw them to God.” 0, how 
many obstinate sinners does not this lodestone 


Mary , our Advocate. 


123 


of hearts draw each day to God! For thus did 
she call herself one day, saying to St. Bridget, 
“As the lodestone attracts iron, so do I attract 
hearts.” Yea, even the most hardened hearts, 
to reconcile them with God. We must not sup¬ 
pose that such prodigies are extraordinary events; 
they are every-day occurrences. 

St. John Chrysostom says “ that another pur¬ 
pose for which the Blessed Virgin Mary was made 
the Mother of God was, that she might obtain 
salvation for many who, on account of their 
wicked lives, could not be saved according to the 
rigor of divine justice, but might be so with the 
help of her sweet mercy and powerful interces¬ 
sion.” This is confirmed by St. Anselm, who 
says “ that Mary was raised to the dignity of 
Mother of God rather for sinners than for the 
just, since Jesus Christ declares that he came to 
call not the just, but sinners.” 

The holy Church tells us, in the prayer said 
in the Mass of the vigil of the Assumption, “ that 
the divine Mother was taken from this world that 
she might interpose for us with God, with certain 
confidence of obtaining all.” 

“ Then, 0 sinner,” says St. Bernard, “ whoever 
thou mayest be, imbedded in crime, grown old in 
sin, despair not; thank thy Lord, who, that he 
might show thee mercy, has not only given his 


124 Explanation of the Salve Regina. 

Son for thy advocate, but, to encourage thee to 
greater confidence, has provided thee with a 
mediatress who by her prayers obtains whatever 
she wills. Go then, have recourse to Mary, and 
thou wilt be saved.” 


Example. 

St. Bernardine of Sienna was born at Massaear- 
xara in Italy in the year 1383. He was destined 
by God for great things. His great humility, his 
self-sacrifice during the plague, the eloquence of his 
sermons, won thousands of people to penance. It 
was even given to him to modify the Order of St. 
Francis. He was filled with a singular love and 
reverence for the Blessed Virgin and looked upon 
her veneration as one of the best means of becoming 
perfect. Even in his earliest youth he formed the 
habit of fasting on Saturdays and followed this rule, 
which has been recommended by so many saints and 
holy peo.ple, all his life. Under the protection of 
Mary he distinguished himself by the extraordinary 
purity of his life. His face became scarlet with 
shame if any one told a story of impure import in 
his hearing, so that his mere presence was enough to 
restrain his most impertinent companions. When 
he was seventeen years old he joined a brotherhood 
at Sienna, and entered the hospital to devote himself 
to the care of the sick. Soon after he entered the 
hospital the plague, which was raging in other parts 
of Italy, reached Sienna. Bernardine induced twelve 
other men to help him, and undaunted by the ter¬ 
rible ravages of the pest, they nursed the sick until 
the epidemic was over. The Lord, to whom all 
things are known, rewarded the devotion of the 
youth by calling him to the religious life under the 


Mary , our Advocate. 


125 


rule of St. Francis. He took his vows on the 8th of 
September, the Feast of the Nativity. All his work 
and his undertakings he placed under the protection 
of Our Lady, and his apostolic labors were crowned 
with wonderful success. He founded nearly three 
hundred religious houses and died a holy death on 
the 10th of May, 1444. His saintliness was so well 
known and was attested by so many miracles that 
Pope Nicholas V. canonized him in the sixth year 
after his death. 


Prayer. 

O greatest and most sublime of all creatures, most 
sacred Virgin, I salute thee from this earth—I, a 
miserable and unfortunate rebel against my God, 
who deserve chastisements, not favors, justice, and 
not mercy. O my Mother, it was thou who didst 
one day weep over thy Son who died for me. Offer, 
I beseech thee, thy tears to God, and by these ob¬ 
tain for me true sorrow for my sins. Sinners then 
afflicted thee so much, and I, by my crimes, have 
done the same. Obtain for me, O Mary, that at 
least from this day forward I may not continue to 
afflict thee and thy Son by my ingratitude. What 
would thy sorrow avail me if I continued to be un¬ 
grateful to thee? To what purpose would thy 
• mercy have been shown me if again I was unfaith¬ 
ful and lost? No, my Queen, permit it not; thou 
hast supplied for all my shortcomings. Thou ob- 
tainest from God what thou wilt. Thou grantest 
the prayers of all. I ask of thee two graces; I expect 
them from thee, and will not be satisfied with less. 
Obtain for me that I may be faithful to God, and 
no more offend him, and love him during the re¬ 
mainder of my life as much as I have offended him. 


CHAPTER VII. 

Illos tuos misericordes oculos ad nos converte. 


TURN, THEN, THINE EYES OF MERCY TOWARDS US. 

Mary, our Guardian. 

Mary is All Eyes to Pity and Succor Us in our 
Necessities. 

“ Even whilst living in this world,” says St. 
Jerome, “ the heart of Mary was so filled with 
tenderness and compassion for men that no one 
ever suffered so much for his own pains as Mary 
suffered for the pains of others.” The compas¬ 
sion for others in affliction she well showed at 
the marriage-feast of Cana, spoken of in the pre¬ 
ceding chapters, when the wine failing, without 
being asked, remarks St. Bernardine of Sienna,* 
she charged herself with the office of a tender 
comfortress, and moved to compassion at the 
sight of the embarrassment of the bride and 
bridegroom, she interposed with her Son and 
obtained the miraculous change 6f water into 
wine. 


126 



Mary, our Guardian. 


127 


“ But perhaps,” says St. Peter Damian, address¬ 
ing Mary, “ now that thou art raised to the high 
dignity of Queen of heaven, thou forgettest us 
poor creatures?” “Ah, far be such a thought 
from our minds,” he adds; “ for it would little 
become the great compassion that reigns in the 
heart of Mary ever to forget such misery as 
ours.” The proverb, that “ honors change our 
manners,” does not apply to Mary. With world¬ 
lings it is otherwise; for they, when once raised 
to a high dignity, become proud, and forget their 
former poor friends, but it is not so with Mary, 
who rejoices in her own exaltation, because she 
is thus better able to help the miserable. 

On this subject St. Bonaventure applies to the 
Blessed Virgin the words addressed to Ruth: 
Blessed art thou of the Lord, my daughter, and thy 
latter kindness has surpassed the former (Ruth iii. 
10); meaning t (f say “that if the compassion of 
Mary was great towards the miserable when living 
in this world, it is much greater now that she 
reigns in heaven.” He then gives the reason for 
this, saying “ that the divine Mother shows, by 
the innumerable graces that she obtains for us, 
her greater mercy; for now she is better acquainted 
with our miseries.” Thence he adds “ that as 
the splendor of the sun surpasses that of the 
moon, so does the compassion of Mary, now that 


128 


Explanation of the Salve Regina. 


she is in heaven, surpass the compassion she had 
for us when in the world.” In conclusion, he 
asks, “ Who is there living in this world who does 
not enjoy the light of the sun? and on whom 
does not the mercy of Mary shine?” 

St. Bernard says “ that Mary has made herself 
all to all, and opens her merciful heart to all, that 
all may receive of her fulness: the slave redemp¬ 
tion, the sick health, those in affliction comfort, 
the sinner pardon, and God glory; that thus there 
may he no one who can hide himself from her 
warmth.” “And therefore,” says St. Bonaven- 
ture, “'this loving Mother has so earnest a desire 
to do good to all, that not only is she offended by 
those who positively outrage her, as some are 
wicked enough to do, hut she is offended at those 
who do not ask her for favors or graces.” 

The prophet Isaias foretold that, together with 
the great work of the redemption of the human 
race, a throne of divine mercy was to be prepared 
for us poor creatures: And a throne shall he pre¬ 
pared in mercy. (Is. xvi. 5.) What is this 
throne? St. Bonaventure answers, “ Mary is this 
throne, at which all—just and sinners—find the 
consolation of mercy.” He then adds: “For as 
we have a most merciful Lord, so also we have a 
most merciful Lady. Our Lord is plenteous in 
mercy to all who call upon him, and Our Lady is 



Mary, our Guardian. 


129 


plenteous in mercy to all who call upon her ” 
As Our Lord is full of mercy, so also is Our Lady; 
and as the Son knows not how to refuse mercy 
to those who call upon him, neither does the 
Mother. 

Should the sight of our sins ever discourage 
us, let us address the Mother of mercy in the 
words of William of Paris: “ 0 Lady, do not set 
up my sins against me, for I oppose thy compas¬ 
sion to them. Let it never be said that my sins 
could contend in judgment against thy mercy, 
which is far more powerful to obtain me pardon 
than my sins are to obtain my condemnation/’ 


Example. 

At the beginning of the thirteenth century there 
were seven men living in Florence, who, though 
noted for their wealth and position, were even more 
noted for their piety. Moved by this piety they 
determined to leave the world and band themselves 
together under the protection of Mary to live a life 
of seclusion and penance. This was the beginning 
of the famous Order of the Servants of Mary or the 
Servites. This order, so venerable because of its 
name and the services it has rendered the Church, 
owed its growth to St. Philip Beniti. Philip was 
barely five months old when he saw several religious 
of the Servite order gathering alms, when speech 
was given him and he said to his mother: “ See, the 
Servants of Mary.” When he was in his fifteenth 
year and was considering his vocation, he attended 


130 Explanation of the Salve Regina. 

Mass on Holy Thursday in the Servite Chapel of the 
Annunciation, and there felt an interior call to 
enter the order. The following night a mysterious 
dream showed him the dangers of the world and a 
vision of the Blessed Virgin decided him altogether. 
After this his devotion to Mary was more ardent 
than ever. He prayed for hours before her image 
and tried to imitate her virtues in his daily life. 
He journeyed to France, to the Netherlands. Every¬ 
where he preached the glories of Mary, until he was 
called the apostle of Mary. In 1285 he spent the 
night before the feast of the Assumption in prayer 
and preached a sermon on Mary in the morning. 
After this he fell into a light fever, which neverthe¬ 
less brought him to his death in a few days. In his 
last hours he assured his brethren in religion that 
he owed all graces and all success in his labors to 
the Blessed Virgin next to Christ. He encouraged 
them to be faithful in their devotion to her, as he 
who perseveres in venerating her must surely 
achieve his salvation. 


Prayer of St. Anselm. 

We beseech thee, O most holy Lady, by the favor 
that God did thee, in raising thee so high as to make 
all things possible to thee with him, so to act that 
the plenitude of grace, which thou didst merit, may 
render us partakers of thy glory. Strive, O most 
merciful Lady, to obtain for us that for which God 
was pleased to become man in thy chaste womb. O, 
lend us a willing ear. If thou deignest to pray to 
thy Son for this, he will immediately grant it. It 
suffices that thou wiliest our salvation, and then we 
are sure to obtain it. But who can restrain thy 
great mercy ? If thou, who art our Mother, and the 



Mary, oar Guardian. 


131 


Mother of mercy, dost not pity us, what will become 
of us when thy Son comes to judge us? Help us, 
then, O most compassionate Lady, and consider not 
the multitude of our sins. We recommend ourselves 
to thee; O, let us not lose our souls, but make us 
eternally serve and love thy beloved Son, Jesus 
Christ. 


CHAPTER VIII. 


Et Jesum, benedictnm Fructum ventris tui nobis post hoc 
exilium ostende. 

AND AFTER THIS OUR EXILE SHOW UNTO US THE 
BLESSED FRUIT OF THY WOMB, JESUS. 

Mary, our Salvation. 

I. 

Mary delivers her Clients from Hell. 

It is impossible for a client of Mary who is 
faithful in honoring and recommending himself to 
her to be lost. To some this proposition may 
appear, at first sight, exaggerated; but any one to 
whom this might seem to be the case I would beg 
to suspend his judgment, and, first of all, read 
what I have to say on this subject. 

When we say that it is impossible for a client of 
Mary to be lost, we must not be understood as 
speaking of those clients who take advantage of 
this devotion that they may sin more freely. And 
therefore those who disapprove of the great praises 
bestowed on the clemency of this most blessed 

132 


Mary , our Salvation. 


133 


Virgin, because it causes the wicked to take advan¬ 
tage of it to sin with greater freedom, do so with¬ 
out foundation, for such presumptive people 
deserve chastisement, and not mercy, for their 
rash confidence. It is therefore to be understood 
of those clients who, with a sincere desire to 
amend, are faithful in honoring and recommend¬ 
ing themselves to the Mother of God. 

St. Anselm says “ that as it is impossible for 
one who is not devout to Mary, and consequently 
not protected by her, to be saved, so is it impos¬ 
sible for one who recommends himself to her, and 
consequently is beloved by her, to be lost.” St. 
Antoninus repeats the same thing and almost in 
the same w'ords: “As it is impossible for those 
from whom Mary turns her eyes of mercy to be 
saved, so also are those towards whom she turns 
these eyes, and for whom she prays, necessarily 
saved and glorified.” 

Let us pay particular attention to the first part 
of the opinions of these saints, and let those 
tremble who make but little account of their devo¬ 
tion to this divine Mother, or from carelessness 
give it up. They say that the salvation of those 
who are not protected by Mary is impossible. And 
St. Bonaventure says: “ He who neglects the ser¬ 
vice of the Blessed Virgin will die in his sins.” 
And, on the 99th Psalm the saint even says “ that 


134 Explanation of the Salve Regina. 

not only those from whom Mary turns her face 
will not be saved, but that there will be no hope 
of their salvation.” Before him St. Ignatius the 
Martyr said “ that it was impossible for any sin¬ 
ner to be saved without the help and favor of the 
most blessed Virgin; because those who are not 
saved by the justice of God are with infinite 
mercy saved by the intercession of Mary.” 

For this reason the devil does his utmost with 
sinners in order that, after they have lost the grace 
of God, they may also lose devotion to Mary. 
When Sarah saw Isaac in company with Ismael, 
who was teaching him evil habits, she desired that 
Abraham would drive away both Ismael and his 
mother Agar: Cast out this bond-woman and her 
son. (Gen. xxi. 10.) She was not satisfied with 
the son being turned out of the house, but insisted 
on the mother going also, thinking that otherwise 
the son, coming to see his mother, would continue 
to frequent the house. The devil, also, is not 
satisfied with a soul turning out Jesus Christ, 
unless it also turns out his Mother: Cast out this 
bond-woman and her son. Otherwise he fears that 
the Mother will again, by her intercession, bring 
back her Son. The will to save us cannot be want¬ 
ing, for Mary is our Mother, and desires our salva¬ 
tion more than we can desire it ourselves. Since, 
then, this is the case, how can it be possible for a 


Mary , our Salvation. 


135 


client of Mary to be lost? He may be a sinner, 
but if he recommends himself to this good Mother 
with perseverance and purpose of amendment, she 
will undertake to obtain him light to abandon his 
wicked state, sorrow for his sins, perseverance in 
virtue, and, finally, a good death. And what 
mother would not deliver her son from death if it 
only depended on her asking the favor to obtain it 
from the judge? And can we think that Mary, 
who loves her clients with a mother’s most tender 
love, will not deliver her child from eternal death 
when she can do it so easily? 

Ah! devout reader, let us thank Our Lord if we 
see that he has given us affection for the Queen of 
heaven and confidence in her; “ for,” says St. 
John Damascene, “ God only grants this favor to 
those whom he is determined to save.” The fol¬ 
lowing are the beautiful words of the saint, 
with which he rekindles his own and our hope: 
“ 0 Mother of God, if I place my confidence in 
thee, I shall be saved. If I am under thy protec¬ 
tion, I have nothing to fear, for the fact of being 
thy client is the possession of a certainty of salva¬ 
tion, and which God only grants to those whom he 
intends to save.” Therefore Erasmus salutes the 
Blessed Virgin in these words: “ Hail! 0 terror of 
hell; 0 hope of Christians; confidence in thee is a 
pledge of salvation.” 


136 Explanation of the Salve Regina. 

“ 0, how many would have remained obstinate 
in sin, and have been eternally lost/’ says Thomas 
a Kempis, “ if Mary had not interposed with her 
Son, that he might show them mercy ! ” 

Blessed Henry Suso used to say “ that he had 
placed his soul in the hands of Mary, and that if he 
was condemned, the sentence must pass through 
her hands; ” being confident that if it was in such 
hands, this tender Virgin would certainly prevent 
'its execution. The same do I hope for myself, 0 
my own most holy Queen; and therefore I will 
always repeat the words of St. Bonaventure: “ In 
thee, 0 Lady, have I placed all my hopes; and thus 
I confidently trust that I shall never be lost, but 
praise and love thee forever in heaven.” 

Example. 

A young man who had sinned often and grievously 
against holy chastity, once went to confession at 
Rome and told his father confessor that in spite of 
all his resolutions he fell into sin again and again. 
The priest advised him to say a Hail Mary every 
morning and evening and to put himself under the 
protection of the Blessed Virgin. A short time 
afterwards the young man left Rome and was gone 
for several years. Upon his return he visited his 
father confessor, who was happy to see that the 
young man had overcome his sinful habit. And 
being asked how he did it, he answered that it was 
by following the priest’s advice and faithfully say¬ 
ing the Hail Mary every morning and evening. 


Mary , our Salvation. 


137 


Prayer of St. Bernard. 

We raise our eyes to thee, O Queen of the world. 
We must appear before our Judge after so many 
sins: who will appease him ? No one can do it better 
than thou canst, O holy Lady, who hast loved him 
so much, and by whom thou art so tenderly beloved. 
Open, then, O Mother of mercy, thy heart to our 
sighs and prayers. We fly to thy protection; appease 
the wrath of thy Son, and restore us to his grace. 
Thou dost not abhor a sinner, however loathsome he 
may be. Thou dost not despise him if he sends up 
his sighs to thee, and, repentant, asks thy interces¬ 
sion. Thou, with thy compassionate hand, deliv- 
erest him from despair. Thou animatest him to 
hope, and dost not leave him until thou hast recon¬ 
ciled him with his Judge. O sweet, O great, O all- 
amiable Mary, no heart can pronounce thy name 
but thou inflamest it with thy love; nor can they 
who love thee think of thee without feeling them¬ 
selves strengthened to love thee more. 

O holy Lady, help our weakness. And who is more 
fit to address Our Lord Jesus Christ than thou who 
enjoyest in such close vicinity his most sweet con¬ 
verse? Speak, then, speak, O Lady; for thy Son 
listens to thee, and thou wilt obtain all that thou 
askest of him. 


II. 

Mary leads her Servants to Heaven. 

Oh, what an evident mark of predestination 
have the servants of Mary! St. Antoninus tells 
us “ that this divine Mother has already, by her 
assistance and prayers, obtained heaven for us, 


138 


Explanation of the Salve Regina. 


provided we put no obstacle in the way/’ St. 
Bonaventure says “ that the gates of heaven 
will open to all who confide in the protection of 
Mary.” Hence, St. Ephrem calls devotion to the 
divine Mother “ the unlocking of the gates of the 
heavenly Jerusalem.” For the same reason is 
this great Mother called by the Church the Star 
of the Sea, “ Hail, Star of the Sea!” “For,” 
says the angelical St. Thomas, “ as sailors are 
guided by a star to the port, so are Christians 
guided to heaven by Mary.” 

For the same reason again is she called by St. 
Fulgentius “ the heavenly ladder.” “ For,” says 
the saint, “ by Mary God descended from heaven 
into the world, that by her men might ascend 
from earth to heaven.” “And thou, 0 Lady,” 
says St. Athanasius, “w’ast filled with grace that 
thou mightest be the way of our salvation and 
the means of ascent to the heavenly kingdom.” 

St. Bernard calls our blessed Lady “ the heav¬ 
enly chariot.” “ Blessed are they who kjiow 
thee, 0 Mother of God,” says St. Bonaventure; 
“ for the knowledge of thee is the highroad to 
everlasting life, and the publication of thy vir¬ 
tues is the way of eternal salvation.” St. John 
Damascene also says “ that to serve Mary and be 
her courtier is the greatest honor we can possibly 
possess; for to serve the Queen of heaven is 


Mary , our Salvation. 


139 


already to reign there, and to live under her com¬ 
mands is more than to govern.” On the other 
hand, he adds “ that those who do not serve Mary 
will not ke saved; for those who are deprived of 
the help of this great Mother are also deprived 
of that of her Son and of the whole court of 
heaven.” 

“ May the infinite goodness of Our Lord be 
ever praised,” says St. Bernard, “ for having 
been pleased to give us Mary as our advocate in 
heaven, that she, being at the same time the 
Mother of our Judge and a Mother of mercy, 
may be able, by her intercession, to conduct to a 
prosperous issue the great affair of our eternal 
salvation.” 

Nor should those even who have deserved hell 
be in the least doubtful as to obtaining heaven, 
provided they are faithful in serving this Queen. 
“ 0, how many sinners,” says St. Germanus, 
“ have found God and have been saved by thy 
means, 0 Mary! ” “And thou, 0 great Mother,” 
says St. Methodius, “ art the beginning, the mid¬ 
dle, and the end of our happiness”—the begin¬ 
ning, for Mary obtains us the pardon of our sins; 
the middle, for she obtains us perseverance in 
divine grace; and the end, for she finally obtains 
us heaven. “ By thee, 0 Mary, was heaven 
opened,” says St. Bernard; “by thee was hell 


140 Explanation of the Salve Regina. 

emptied; by thee was paradise restored; and 
through thee, in fine, is eternal life given to so 
many miserable creatures who deserved eternal 
death.” 

But that which above all should encourage us 
to hope with confidence for heaven is the beau¬ 
tiful promise made by Mary herself to all who 
honor her, and especially to those who, by word 
and example, endeavor to make her known and 
honored by others: They that work by me shall not 
sin; they that explain me shall have life everlasting. 
(Ecclus. xxiv. 30.) “ 0 happy they who obtain 

the favor of Mary! ” exclaims St. Bonaventure; 
“ they will be recognized by the blessed as their 
companions, and whoever bears the stamp of a 
servant of Mary is already enrolled in the Book 
of Life.” 

Why, then, should we trouble ourselves about 
the opinions of scholastics as to whether predes¬ 
tination to glory precedes or follows the prevision 
of merits? If we are true servants of Mary, and 
obtain her protection, we most certainly shall be 
inscribed in the Book of Life; for, says St. John 
Damascene, “ God only grants devotion towards 
his most holy Mother to those whom he will 
save.” This is also clearly expressed by Our 
Lord in St. John: He that shall overcome ... I 
will write upon him the name of my God , and the 


Mary , our Salvation. 


141 


name of the city of my God. (Apoc. iii. 12.) And 
who but Mary is this city of God? observes St. 
Gregory on the words of David: Glorious things 
are said of thee , 0 city of God. (Ps. lxxxvi. 3.) 

Correctly, then, can we here say with St. Paul, 
Having this seal , the Lord hnoweth who are his; 
that is to say, whoever carries with him the mark 
of devotion to Mary is recognized by God as his. 
Hence St. Bernard writes that devotion to the 
Mother of God is a most certain mark of eternal 
salvation. 

Father Meremberg says, in the tenth chapter 
of his book on Affection for Mary, that “ the ser¬ 
vants of the Mother of God are not only privi¬ 
leged and favored in this world, but even in 
heaven they are more particularly honored.” He 
then adds “ that in heaven they will be recog¬ 
nized as servants of its Queen, and as belonging 
to her court, by a distinguishing and richer gar¬ 
ment; ” according to the words of the Proverbs, 
A ll her domestics are clothed with double garments. 

St. Mary Magdalen of Pazzi saw a vessel in the 
midst of the sea: in it were all the clients of 
Mary, and this Blessed Mother herself steered it 
safely into the port. By this the saint understood 
that those who live under the protection of Mary 
are secure, in the midst of the dangers of this 
life, from the shipwreck of sin, and from eternal 


142 Explanation of the Salve Regina. 

damnation; for she guides them safely into the 
haven of salvation. Let ns then enter this 
blessed ship of the mantle of Mary, and there we 
can be certain of the kingdom of heaven; for the 
Church says: “ 0 holy Mother of God, all those 
who will be partakers of eternal happiness dwell 
in thee, living under thy protection.” 

Example. 

The great aid which Mary renders those who im¬ 
plore her help is shown by the story of St. Justina, 
which is related by St. Gregory Nazianzen. She 
was born in Antioch of noble parents and was a 
young woman of great beauty. But the beauty of 
her soul was even greater than that of her body. 
She had united herself to Christ by the vows of 
virginity and every impulse of her heart was dedi¬ 
cated to her heavenly Bridegroom. Her heart was 
as a closed garden against everything evil. At this 
time there was a young man named Cyprian in 
Antioch, who, filled with a wicked curiosity, took up 
the study of magic. One day he chanced to see 
Justina and at once he was filled with an unholy 
passion for her. Finding that he could not win favor 
with the maiden by any of his arts, he at last deter¬ 
mined to resort to magic. He succeeded in so far 
that the young woman was assailed by the fiercest 
temptations against her chastity. In her extremity 
she took refuge with the Blessed Virgin, and not in 
vain. The spirit of evil was compelled to leave 
Justina in peace and the jewel of purity was pre¬ 
served to her. The Blessed Virgin obtained the 
grace also of enlightenment for the wicked young 
man who had tried to destroy Justina. Her stead- 


Mary , our Salvation. 


143 


fastness showed him the helplessness of the evil 
spirits against those fortified by the religion of 
Jesus, and he himself was baptized and followed St. 
Justina in giving testimony to the faith by dying a 
martyr to its truth. 


Prayer. 

O Queen of heaven, Mother of holy love! since 
thou art the most amiable of creatures, the most 
beloved of God, and his greatest lover, be pleased 
to allow the most miserable sinner living in this 
world, who having by thy means been delivered from 
hell, and without any merit on his part been so bene¬ 
fited by thee and who is filled with love for thee, 
to love thee. I would desire, were it in my power, 
to let all men who know thee not know how worthy 
thou art of love, that all might love and honor thee. 
I would desire to die for love of thee, in defence 
of thy virginity, of thy dignity of Mother of God, 
of thy Immaculate Conception, should this be neces¬ 
sary, to uphold these thy great privileges. Ah! my 
most beloved Mother accept this my ardent desire, 
and never allow a servant of thine, who loves thee, to 
become the enemy of thy God, whom thou lovest 
so much. Ah! Queen most worthy of love, I desire 
to love thee in heaven. There, at thy feet, I shall 
better know how worthy thou art of love, how much 
thou hast done to save me; and thus I shall love 
thee with greater love, and love thee eternally, with¬ 
out fear of ever ceasing to love thee. O Mary, I 
hope most certainly to be saved by thy means. Pray 
to Jesus for me. Nothing else is needed; thou hast 
to save me; thou art my hope. I will therefore al¬ 
ways sing, O Mary, my hope, thou hast to save me. 


CHAPTER IX. 

0 clemens, 0 pia! 

O MERCIFUL, O PIOUS. 

Clemency and Compassion of Mary. 

How great are the Clemency and Compassion of Mary. 

St. Bonaventure also, considering that Mary 
was made Mother of God on account of the miser¬ 
able, and that to her is committed the charge of 
dispensing mercy; considering, moreover, the ten¬ 
der care she takes of all, and that her compassion 
is so great that she seems to have no other desire 
than that of relieving the needy; says that when 
he looks at her, he seems no longer to see the jus¬ 
tice of God, but only the divine mercy, of which 
Mary is full. “ 0 Lady, when I behold thee, I 
can only discern mercy, for thou wast made 
Mother of God for the wretched, and then thou 
wast intrusted with their charge; thou art all 
solicitude for them; thou art walled in with 
mercy; thy only wish is to show it.” 

Rebecca was a figure of Mary; and she, when 
asked by Abraham’s servant for a little water to 
144 




Clemency and Compassion of Mary. 145 

drink, replied that not only would she give him 
plenty for himself, hut also for his camels, saying, 
I will draw water for thy camels also till they all 
drink. (Gen. xxiv. 19.) On these words St. 
Bernard addresses our blessed Lady, saying: 
“ 0 Mary, thou art far more liberal and 
compassionate than Rebecca; and therefore 
thou art not satisfied with distributing the 
treasures of thy immense mercy only to the just, 
of whom Abraham’s servants were types, but also 
thou bestowest them on sinners who are signified 
by the camels.” “ The liberality of Mary,” says 
Richard of St. Laurence, “ is like that of her Son, 
who always gives more than he is asked for.” 
He is , says St. Paul, rich unto all that call upon 
him. (Rom. x. 12.) “ And the liberality of 

Mary is like his: she bestows more than is 
sought.” Hear how a devout writer thus ad¬ 
dresses the Blessed Virgin: “ 0 Lady, do thou 
pray for me, for thou wilt ask for the graces I 
require with greater devotion than I can dare 
to ask for them; and thou wilt obtain far greater 
graces from God for me than I can presume to 
seek.” 

When the Samaritans refused to receive Jesus 
Christ and his doctrines, St. James and St. John 
asked him whether they should command fire to 
fall from heaven and devour them; Our Lord 


146 Explanation of the Salve Regina. 

replied, You know not of what spirit you are. 
(Luke ix. 55.) As if he had said, “ I am 
of so tender and compassionate a spirit that I 
came from heaven to save and not to chastise 
sinners, and you wish to see them lost. Fire, 
indeed! and punishment!—speak no more of 
chastisements, for such a spirit is not mine.” But 
of Mary, whose spirit is the same as that of her 
Son, we can never doubt that she is all-inclined to 
mercy. For this reason Mary was seen by St. 
John clothed with the sun: And a great sign 
appeared in heaven , a woman clothed with the sun. 
(Apoc. xii. 1.) On which words St. Bernard, turn¬ 
ing towards the Blessed Virgin, says, “ Thou, 0 
Lady, hast clothed the sun, that is the Eternal 
Word, with human flesh; but he has clothed thee 
with his power and mercy.” 

“ This Queen,” continues the same St. Bernard, 
“ is so compassionate and benign, that when a sin¬ 
ner, whoever he may be, recommends himself to 
her charity, she does not question, his merits, or 
whether he is worthy or unworthy to be attended 
to, but she hears and succors all.” “ 0, how many,” 
exclaims the Abbot of Celles, “ who deserved to be 
condemned by the justice of the Son, are saved by 
the mercy of the Mother? for she is God’s treasure, 
and the treasurer of all graces; and thus our salva¬ 
tion is in her hands, and depends on her.” Let us. 


Clemency and Compassion of Mary. 147 

then, always have recourse to this compassionate 
Mother, and confidently hope for salvation through 
her intercession. For as St. Antoninus says, Mary is 
that throne of grace to which the Apostle St. Paul, 
in his epistle to the Hebrews', exhorts us to fly with 
confidence, that we may obtain the divine mercy, 
and all the help we need for our salvation.” 
Let us therefore go with confidence to the throne of 
grace: that we may obtain mercy, and find grace in 
seasonable aid. (Heh. iv. 16.) 

Let us conclude with the beautiful and tender’ 
exclamation of St. Bonaventure on these words, 
“ 0 merciful, 0 compassionate, 0 sweet Virgin 
Mary ! ” “ 0 Mary, thou art clement with the 

miserable, compassionate towards those who pray 
to thee, sweet towards those who love thee; clement 
with the penitent, compassionate to those who 
advance, sweet to the perfect. Thou showest thy¬ 
self clement in delivering us from chastisement, 
compassionate in bestowing graces, and sweet in 
giving thyself to those who seek thee.” 

. Example. 

St: Philip Neri, who was born, in the year 1515, at 
Florence, was one of the greatest ornaments of the 
Church in the sixteenth century. From his earliest 
years he had a tender devotion towards our blessed 
Mother and tried to inspire the same in others. He 
called her his joy and his consolation. To those whom 
he was leading towards salvation he recommended 


148 Explanation of the Salve Regina. 

most earnestly the devotion to the Blessed Virgin. 
He taught them to say often: “ Virgin Mary, Mother 
of God, pray to thy Jesus for me.” Moreover he 
was earnest in imitating the virtues of the Blessed 
Virgin. Particularly did he practice obedience. 
Even as a child he was scrupulously obedient to his 
parents. Indeed he had such a high opinion of this 
virtue that he said: “ Obedience is the shortest and 
surest way to perfection.” His love of God re¬ 
mained steadfast in many trials and sufferings, 
which he bore with a complete surrender of the will 
to God. His motives were misunderstood, he was 
traduced and calumniated by evil-minded people, 
and his health was delicate. But all this did 
not overcome his spirit nor his devotion. In 
the last years of his life he was suddenly cured 
of a painful illness by a vision of the Blessed Virgin. 
u O my most precious Queen,” he cried out, “ I do 
not deserve that thou shouldst come to me.” When 
asked by the physician present what he meant, he 
answered: “ Did you not see the Blessed Virgin, 
who came to heal me ? ” And indeed he was cured 
and rose and went about his labors. He grew to be 
very old, and died as he had lived, under the pro¬ 
tection of Mary, on the twenty-sixth of May, 1595. 

Prayer. 

O Mother of mercy, since thou art so compassion¬ 
ate, and hast so great a desire to render service to us 
poor creatures and to grant our requests, behold I, 
the most miserable of all men, have now recourse 
to thy compassion, in order that thou mayest grant 
me that which I ask. Others may ask what they 
please of thee—bodily health and earthly goods and 
advantages; but I come, O Lady, to ask thee for that 
which thou desirest of me, and which is most in 



Clemency and Compassion of Mary. 149 

conformity and agreeable to thy most sacred heart. 
Thou art so humble; obtain for me humility and 
love of contempt. Thou wast so patient under the 
sufferings of this life; obtain for me patience in 
trials. Thou wast all filled with the love of God; 
obtain for me the gift of his pure and holy love. 
Thou wast all love towards thy neighbor; obtain for 
me charity towards all, and particularly towards 
those who are in any way my enemies. Thou wast 
entirely united to the divine will; obtain for me 
entire conformity to the will of God in whatever 
way he may be pleased to dispose of me. Thou, in 
fine, art the most holy of all creatures; O Mary, 
make me a saint. O Mary, my Mother Mary, my 
hope, my love, my life, my refuge, my help, and my 
consolation. Amen. 


CHAPTER X. 

0 dulcis Virgo Maria. 


0 SWEET VIRGIN MARY. 

The Sweetness of the Name of Mary during Life 
and at Death. 

The Abbot Francone, speaking of the name of 
Mary, says “ there is no other name after that of 
the Son, in heaven or on earth, whence pious 
minds derive so much grace, hope, and sweetness.” 
After the most sacred name of Jesus, the name of 
Mary is so rich in every good thing, that on earth 
and in heaven there is no other from which devout 
souls receive so much grace, hope, and sweetness. 
“For,” he continues, “there is something so 
admirable, sweet, and divine in this name of Mary, 
that when it meets with friendly hearts it breathes 
into them an odor of delightful sweetness.” And 
he adds, in conclusion, “ that the wonder of this 
great name is, that if heard by the lovers of Mary 
a thousand times, it is always heard again with 
renewed pleasure, for they always experience the 
same sweetness each time it is pronounced.” 

150 





The Sweetness of the Name of Mary. 151 

The Blessed Henry Suso, also speaking of this 
sweetness, says that when he named Mary, he 
felt himself so excited to confidence, and inflamed 
with such love and joy, that between the tears and 
joy with which he pronounced the beloved name, 
he desired that his heart might leave his breast; 
for he declared that this most sweet name was like 
a honeycomb dissolving in the inmost recess of 
the soul; and then he would exclaim: “0 most 
sweet name! 0 Mary, what must thou thyself be, 
since thy name alone is thus amiable and gra¬ 
cious ! ” 

The enamored St. Bernard, raising his heart 
to his good Mother, says with tenderness, “ 0 
great ! 0 pious ! 0 thou who art worthy of all 
praise! 0 most holy Virgin Mary! Thy name is 
so sweet and amiable that it cannot be pronounced 
without inflaming those who do so with love 
towards thee and God. It only need occur to the 
thought of thy lovers to move them to love thee 
more and to console them.” “ Thou canst not be 
named without inflaming; thou canst not be 
thought of by those who love thee without filling 
their minds with joy.” “ And if riches comfort 
the poor, because they relieve •them in their dis¬ 
tress, 0 how much more does thy name, 0 Mary,” 
says Richard of St. Laurence, “ comfort us than 
any earthly riches ! It comforts us in the 


152 Explanation of the Salve Regina. 

anguishes of this life.” “ Thy name, 0 Mary, is 
far better than riches, because it can better relieve 
poverty.” 

In fine, “ thy name, 0 Mother of God, is filled 
with divine graces and blessings,” as St. Methodius 
says. So much so that St. Bonaventure declares 
“ that thy name, 0 Mary, cannot be pronounced 
without bringing some gTace to him who does so 
devoutly.” The Blessed Raymond Jordano says 
“ that however hardened and diffident a heart may 
be, the name of this most blessed Virgin has such 
efficacy, that if it is only pronounced, that heart 
will be wonderfully softened.” He then tells us 
that it is she who leads sinners to the hope of 
pardon and grace: “ By thee does the sinner 
recover the hope of forgiveness and of grace.” 

Thy most sweet name, 0 Mary, according to St. 
Ambrose, “ is a precious ointment which breathes 
forth the odor of divine grace.” The saint then 
prays to the divine Mother, saying: “ Let this 
ointment of salvation enter the inmost recesses of 
our souls: ” that is, grant, 0 Lady, that we may 
often remember to name thee with love and con¬ 
fidence; for this practice either shows the posses¬ 
sion of divine grace, or else is a pledge that we 
shall soon recover it. St. Germanus declares 
“ that as breathing is a sism of life, so also is the 
frequent pronunciation of the name of Mary a 


The Sweetness of the Name of Mary. 153 

sign either, of the life of divine grace,, or that it 
will soon come; for this powerful name has in it 
the virtue of obtaining help and life for him who 
invokes it devoutly/’ In fine, “ This admirable 
name of our sovereign Lady,” says Richard of St. 
Laurence, “ is like a fortified tower, in which, if 
a sinner takes refuge, he will be delivered from 
death; for it defends and saves even the most 
abandoned.” But it is a tower of strength, which 
not only delivers sinners from chastisement, but 
also defends the just from the assaults of hell. 
Thus the same Richard says “ that after the name 
of Jesus, there is no other in which men find so 
powerful assistance and salvation as in the great 
name of Mary.” 

Moreover, it is well known, and is daily experi¬ 
enced by the clients of Mary, that her powerful 
name gives the particular strength necessary to 
overcome temptations against purity. The same 
author in his commentary on the words of St. 
Luke, and the Virgin’s name was Mary (Luke i. 
27), remarks that these two words, Mary and 
Virgin, are joined together by the Evangelist, 
to denote that the name of this most pure Virgin 
should always be coupled with the virtue of chas¬ 
tity. Hence St. Peter Chrysologus says “ that 
the name of Mary is an indication of chastit}',” 
meaning that when we doubt as to whether we 


154 Explanation of the Salve Regina. 

have consented to thoughts against this virtue, if 
we remember having invoked the name of Mary, 
we have a certain proof that we have not sinned. 

Let us, therefore, always take advantage of the 
beautiful advice given us by St. Bernard, in these 
words: “ In dangers, in perplexities, in doubtful 
cases, think of Mary, call on Mary; let her not 
leave thy lips; let her not depart from thy heart.” 
In every danger of forfeiting divine grace, we 
should think of Mary, and invoke her name, 
together with that of Jesus; for these two names 
always go together. 0, then, never let us permit 
these two most sweet names to leave our hearts, or 
be off our lips; for they will give us strength not 
only not to yield, but to conquer all our tempta¬ 
tions. 

“ If then, 0 brethren,” concludes Thomas a 
Kempis, “ you desire consolation in every labor, 
have recourse to Mary; invoke the name of Mary, 
honor Mary, recommend yourselves to Mary, 
rejoice with Mary, weep with Mary, pray with 
Mary, walk with Mary, seek Jesus with Mary; in 
fine, desire to live and die with Jesus and Mary. 
By acting thus you will always advance in the ways 
of God, for Mary will most willingly pray for you, 
and the Son will most certainly grant all that his 
Mother asks.” St. Camillus of Lellis also recom¬ 
mended his religious, in the strongest terms, to 


The Siveetness of the Name of Mary. 155 

remind the dying frequently to invoke the names 
of Jesus and Mary. This was his own custom 
when attending others; but oh, how sweetly did he 
practise it himself on his death-bed, for then he 
pronounced the beloved names of Jesus and Mary 
with such tenderness that he inflamed even those 
who heard him with love, and at length, with his 
eyes fixed on their venerated images, and his arms 
in the form of a cross, the saint breathed forth 
his soul with an air of holiness and in the midst 
of heavenly peace, and in the very moment that 
he was pronouncing those sweet names. 

“ The invocation of the sacred names of Jesus 
and Mary,” says Thomas a Ivempis, “ is a short 
prayer which is as sweet to the mind, and as power¬ 
ful to protect those who use it against the enemies 
of their salvation, as it is easy to remember.” 
“ Yes, truly blessed is he who loves thy' sweet 
name, 0 Mother of God! for,” he continues, “ thy 
name is so glorious and admirable, that no one who 
remembers it has any fears at the hour of death.” 
Such is its power that none of those who invoke 
it at the hour of death fear the assaults of their 
enemies. 

Oh, that we may end our lives as did the Ca¬ 
puchin Father, Fulgentius of Ascoli, who expired 
singing, “ 0 Mary, 0 Mary, the most beautiful 
of. creatures! let us depart together;” or accord- 


156 Explanation of the Salve Regina . 

ing to the annals of the Order, like Blessed 
Henry the Cistercian, who expired in the very 
moment that he was pronouncing the most sweet 
name of Mary. 

Let ns then, 0 devout reader, beg God to grant 
us that at death the name of Mary may be the last 
word on our lips. This was the prayer of St. Ger- 
manus: “ May the last movement of my tongue be 
to pronounce the name of the Mother of God ! ” 
0 sweet, 0 safe is that death which is accompanied 
and protected by so saving a name; for God only 
grants the grace of invoking it to those whom he is 
about to save. 

And to conclude "with the tender prayer of SL 
Bonaventure: “ I ask thee, 0 Mary, for the glory 
of thy name, to come and meet my soul when it is 
departing from this world, and to take it in thine 
arms.” “ Disdain not, 0 Mary,” the saint con¬ 
tinues, “to come then and comfort me with thy 
presence. Be thyself my soul’s ladder and way to 
heaven. Do thou thyself obtain for it the grace 
of forgiveness and eternal repose.” He then con¬ 
cludes, saying, “ 0 Mary, our advocate, it is for 
thee to defend thy clients, and to undertake their 
cause before the tribunal of Jesus Christ.” 

Example. 

The author of the Glories of Mary, St. Alphonsus 
Liguori, founder of the Congregation of the Holy 



The Sweetness of the Name of Mary. 15? 

Redeemer, seems to have been given by Provi¬ 
dence in these latter days as a model of the most 
sublime virtues, especially as a model of devotion to 
our blessed Lady. Even as a youth he never let a 
day pass without visiting a church or an altar dedi¬ 
cated to the Blessed Virgin. He fasted on Satur¬ 
days in her honor, and prepared for her feasts for 
several days by pious devotions. The Rosary was 
his daily prayer. Whenever the hour struck, he 
recited the Angelus, no matter where he was, for 
he esteemed this prayer above all others. When¬ 
ever he went out and whenever he came back 
he knelt down before an image of Mary and 
commended himself to her care. Later when he 
became Bishop of St. Agatha, he preached a 
sermon in honor of the Blessed Virgin every 
Saturday. His writings alone would be an ever¬ 
lasting testimony to, his love of Mary. His faith, 
although assailed by great temptations, remained so 
steadfast because he always called upon the holy 
names of Jesus and Mary. He esteemed very highly 
the blessing of having been born into the Catholic 
Church, and wished to spread the knowledge of 
the true Church among the infidels. His faith in 
God and Mary was wonderful and sustained him in 
the appalling difficulties that he had met with in 
leaving the world and founding his order. One day 
when his soul was depressed and disconsolate, friends 
sought to comfort him by pointing to the good he 
had done. He answered: “Not in my works do 
I trust, but in the infinite mercy of our Saviour and 
the intercession of his holy Mother.” When dying 
he was shown a picture of the Blessed Mother. Full 
of joy he pressed it to his breast and held fast to it 
until his soul passed to God. 


158 


Explanation of the Salve Regina. 


Prayer. 

O great Mother of God and my Mother Mary, it 
is true that I am unworthy to name thee, but thou, 
who lovest me and desirest my salvation, must, not¬ 
withstanding the impurity of my tongue, grant that 
I may always invoke thy most holy and powerful 
name in my aid, for thy name is the succor of the 
living and the salvation of the dying. Ah, most 
pure Mary, most sweet Mary, grant that henceforth 
thy name may be the breath of my life. O Lady, 
delay not to help me when I invoke thee, for in all 
the temptations which assail me, and in all my 
wants, I will never cease calling upon thee, and re¬ 
peating again and again Mary, Mary. Thus it is 
that I hope to act during my life, and more particu¬ 
larly at death, that after that last struggle I may 
eternally praise thy beloved name in heaven, O clem¬ 
ent, O pious, O sweet Virgin Mary. My own dear 
Mary, O my beloved Jesus, may your most sweet 
names reign in my heart, and in all hearts. Grant 
that I may forget all others to remember, and always 
invoke, your adorable names alone. Ah! Jesus my 
Redeemer, and my Mother Mary, when the moment 
of death comes, when I must breathe forth my soul 
and leave this world, deign, through your merits, 
to grant that I may then pronounce my last words, 
and that they may be, “ I love Thee, O Jesus; I love 
thee, O Mary; to you do I give my heart and my 
soul.” 


THE VIRTUES OF THE MOST BLESSED 
VIRGIN MARY. 


St. Augustine says that to obtain with more 
certainty and in greater abundance the favor of the 
saints, we must imitate them; for when they see us 
practise their virtues, they are more excited to pray 
for us. The Queen of saints and our principal ad¬ 
vocate, Mary, has no sooner delivered a soul from 
Lucifer’s grasp and united it to God, than she de¬ 
sires that it should begin to imitate her, otherwise 
she cannot enrich it with the graces that she would 
wish, seeing it so opposed to her in conduct. There¬ 
fore Mary calls those blessed who with diligence 
imitate her life: Now, therefore, children, hear me; 
blessed are they that Jceep my ways. (Prov. viii. 32.) 

Whosoever loves, resembles the person loved, or 
endeavors to become like that person; according to 
the well-known proverb, “ Love either finds or makes 
its like.” Hence St. Sophronius exhorts us to en¬ 
deavor to imitate Mary, if we love her, because this 
is the greatest act of homage that we can offer her. 
“ My beloved children,” the saint says, “ serve Mary, 
whom you love; for you then truly love her, if you 
endeavor to imitate her whom you love.” Richard 
of St. Laurence says “ that those are and can call 
themselves true children of Mary who strive to imi¬ 
tate her life.” 

Although there is little recorded in the Gospels 
of Mary’s virtues in detail, yet when we learn from 
them that she was full of grace, this alone gives us 
159 


160 The Virtues of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary . 

to understand that she possessed all virtues in a 
heroic degree. St. Ambrose says, “ Mary was such 
that her life alone was a model for all.” And then 
he concludes in the following words: “ Let the 
virginity and life of Mary be to you as a faithful 
image, in which the form of virtue is resplendent. 
Thence learn how to live, what to correct, what 
to avoid, and what to retain.” Humility being the 
foundation of all virtues, as the holy Fathers teach, 
let us in the first place consider how great was the 
humility of the Mother of God. 

I. 

The Humility of Mary. 

“ Humility,” says St. Bernard, “ is the founda¬ 
tion and guardian of virtues;” and with reason, 
for without it no other virtue can exist in a soul. 
This beautiful and so necessary virtue was un¬ 
known in the world; but the Son of God himself 
came on earth to teach it by his own example, 
and willed that in that virtue in particular we 
should endeavor to imitate him: Learn of me, 
because I am meelc and humble of heart. (Matt. xi. 
29.) Mary being the first and most perfect disci¬ 
ple of Jesus Christ in the practice of all virtues, 
was the first also in that of humility, and by it 
merited to be exalted above all creatures. Hot 
indeed that Mary considered herself a sinner, for 
humility is truth, as St. Teresa remarks, and 
Mary knew that she had never offended God; nor 


Humility of Mary. 


161 


was it that she did not acknowledge that she had 
received greater graces from God than all other 
creatures, for an humble heart always acknowl¬ 
edges the special favors of the Lord, to humble 
herself the more; but the divine Mother, by the 
greater light wherewith she knew the infinite 
greatness and goodness of God, also knew her 
own nothingness, and therefore, more than all 
others, humbled herself. As a beggar, when 
clothed with a rich garment which has been be¬ 
stowed upon her, does not pride herself on it in 
the presence of the giver, but is rather humbled, 
being reminded thereby of her own poverty; so 
also the more Mary saw herself enriched, the 
more did she humble herself, remembering that 
all was God’s gift. 

The first effect of humility of heart is a lowly 
opinion of ourselves. Mary had always' so hum¬ 
ble an opinion of herself that although she saw 
herself enriched with greater graces than all 
other creatures, she never preferred herself to 
any one. 

St. Bernardine says that “ after the Son of 
God, no creature in the world was so exalted as 
Mary, because no creature in the world ever hum¬ 
bled itself so much as she did.” 

Moreover, it is an act of humility to conceal 
heavenly gifts. Mary wished to conceal from St. 


162 The Virtues of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary. 

Joseph the great favor whereby she had become 
the Mother of God, although it seemed necessary 
to make it known to him, if only to remove from 
the mind of her poor spouse any suspicions as to 
her virtue which he might have entertained on 
seeing her pregnant, or at least the perplexity in 
which it indeed threw him, for St. Joseph, on the 
one hand, unwilling to doubt Mary’s chastity, and 
on the other ignorant of the mystery, was minded 
to put her away privately. (Matt. i. 19.) This he 
would have done had not the angel revealed to 
him that his spouse was pregnant by the opera¬ 
tion of the Holy Ghost. 

Again, a soul that is truly humble refuses her 
own praise; and should praises be bestowed on 
her, she refers them all to God. Behold, Mary 
is disturbed at hearing herself praised by St. 
Gabriel; and when St. Elizabeth said, Blessed art 
thou among women . . . and whence is this to me , 
that the Mother of my Lord should come to me? 
. . . blessed art thou that hast believed (Luke i. 42), 
Mary referred all to God, and answered in that 
humble Canticle, My soul doth magnify the Lord 
(ib. 46, 47), as if she had said: “ Thou dost 
praise me, Elizabeth; but I praise the Lord, to 
whom alone honor is due: thou wonderest that 1 
should come to thee, and I wonder at the divine 
goodness in which alone my spirit exults: ” and 


Humility of Mary. 


163 


my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour. Thou 
praisest me because I have believed; I praise my 
God because he hath been pleased to exalt my 
nothingness: because he hath regarded the humility 
of his handmaid. It is also a part of humility 
to serve others. Mary did not refuse to go and 
serve Elizabeth for three months. 

Those who are humble are retiring, and choose 
the last places; and therefore Mary, remarks St. 
Bernard, when her Son was preaching in a house, 
as it is related by St. Matthew, wishing to speak 
to him, would not of her own accord enter, but 
“ remained outside, and did not avail herself of 
her maternal authority to interrupt him.” 

In fine, those who are humble, love to be con¬ 
temned; therefore we do not read that Mary 
showed herself in Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, 
when her Son was received by the people with so 
much honor; but, on the other hand, at the death 
of her Son she did not shrink from appearing on 
Calvary through fear of the dishonor which would 
accrue to her when it was known that she was 
the Mother of him who was condemned to die an 
infamous death as a criminal. 

There can be no doubt, as St. Gregory of Nyssa 
remarks, that of all virtues there is perhaps none 
the practice of which is more difficult to our 
nature, corrupted as it is by sin, than that of 


164 The Virtues of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary. 

humility. But there is no escape; we can never 
he true children of Mary if we are not humble. 
“ If,” says St. Bernard, “ thou canst not imitate 
the virginity of this humble Virgin, imitate her 
humility.” She detests the proud, and invites 
only the humble to come to her: Whosoever is a 
little one, let him come to me. (Prov. ix. 4.) 

Then, 0 my Queen, I can never be really thy 
child unless I am humble; but dost thou not see 
that my sins, after having rendered me ungrate¬ 
ful to my Lord, have also made me proud? 0 
my Mother, do thou supply a remedy. By the 
merit of thy humility obtain that I may be truly 
humble, and thus become thy child. Amen. 


II. 

Mary’s Charity towards God. 

St. Anselm says that “ wherever there is the 
greatest purity, there is also the greatest char¬ 
ity.” The more a heart is pure, and empty of 
itself, the greater is the fulness of its love 
towards God. The most holy Mary, because she 
was all humility, and had nothing of self in her, 
was tilled with divine love, so that “ her love 
towards God surpassed that of all men and 
angels,” as St. Bernardine writes. Therefore St. 


Mary's Charity towards God. 165 

Francis de Sales with reason called her “ the 
Queen of love.” 

Who has ever fulfilled as she did that first com¬ 
mandment-, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with 
thy whole heart? (Matt. xxii. 37.) In her divine « 
love was so ardent that no defect of any kind 
could have access to her. “ Divine love,” says St. 
Bernard, “ so penetrated and filled the soul of 
Mary that no part of her was left untouched; so 
that she loved with her whole heart, with her 
whole soul, with her whole strength, and was full 
of grace.” Therefore Mary could well say. My 
Beloved has given himself all to me, and I have 
given myself all to him: My Beloved to me, and I 
to him. (Cant. ii. 16.) 

God, who is love, came on earth to enkindle in 
the hearts of all the flame of his divine love; hut 
in no heart did he enkindle so much as in that of 
his Mother; for her heart was entirely pure from 
all earthly affections, and fully prepared to burn 
with this blessed flame. Thus St. Sophronius 
says that “ divine love so inflamed her that noth¬ 
ing earthly could enter her affections; she was 
always burning with this heavenly flame, and, so 
to say, inebriated with it.” Hence the heart of 
Mary became all fire and flames, as we read of her 
in the sacred Canticles: The lamps thereof are fire 
and flame (Cant. viii. 6); fire burning within 


166 The Virtues of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary. 

through love, as St. Anselm explains it; and 
dames shining without by the example she gave 
to all in the practice of virtues. Yes, for St. 
Ildephonsus said that “ the Holy Ghost heated, 

• inflamed, and melted Mary with love, as fire does 
iron; so that the flame of this Holy Spirit was 
seen, and nothing was felt but the fire of the love 
of God/' St. Thomas of Villanova says that the 
bush seen by Moses, which burnt without being 
consumed, was a real symbol of Mary's heart. 

But since Mary loves God so much, there can 
be nothing that she so much requires of her 
clients as that they also should love him to their 
utmost. And because Mary was all on fire with 
the love of God, all who love and approach her 
are inflamed by her with this same love; for she 
renders them like unto herself. 

Ah, Mary, thou Queen of love, of all creatures 
the most amiable, the most beloved, and the most 
loving, as St. Francis de Sales addressed thee— 
my own sweet Mother, thou wast always and in 
all things inflamed with love towards God; deign, 
then, to bestow at least a spark of it on me. Thou 
didst pray thy Son for the spouses whose wine 
had failed: They have no wine. (John ii. 3.) And 
wilt thou not pray for us, in whom the love of 
God, whom we are under such obligations to love, 
is wanting? Say also, “ They have no love," and 


Mary's Charity toivards her Neighbor. 167 


obtain us this love. This is the only grace for 
which we ask. 0 Mother, by the love thou bear- 
est to Jesus, graciously hear and pray for us. 
Amen. 


III. 

Mary’s Charity towards her Neighbor. 

Love towards God and love towards our neigh¬ 
bor are commanded by the same precept: And this 
commandment we have from God , that he who loveth 
God love also his brother. (I. John iv. 21.) St. 
Thomas says that the reason for this is that he 
who loves God loves all that God loves. St. 
Catharine of Genoa one day said, “ Lord, Thou 
wiliest that I should love my neighbor, and I can 
love none but Thee.” God answered her in these 
words: “All who love me love what I love.” 

So great was Mary’s charity when on earth that 
she succored the needy without even being asked; 
as was the case at the marriage-feast of Cana, 
when she told her Son that family’s distress and 
asked him to work a miracle. 0, with what speed 
did she fly when there was question of relieving 
her neighbor! When she went to the house of 
Elizabeth to fulfil an office of charity, she went 
into the hill country with hnste. (Luke i. 39.) She 
could not, however, more fully display the great- 


168 The Virtues of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary. 

9 

ness of her charity than she did in the offering 
which she made of her Son to death for our salva¬ 
tion. On this subject St. Bonaventure says 
“Mary so loved the world as to give her only 
begotten Son.” 

“ Nor has this love of Mary for us,” says St. 
Bonaventure, “ diminished now that she is in 
heaven, hut it has increased; for now she better 
sees the miseries of men.” Blessed is he, says the 
divine Mother, who listens to my instructions, 
pays attention to my charity, and, in imitation of 
me, exercises it himself towards others: Blessed 
is the man that hearetli me, and that watcheth daily 
at my gates, and waitetli at the posts of my doors. 
(Rev. 1. 6, c. 26.) St. Gregory Nazianzen assures 
us that “ there is nothing by which we can with 
greater certainty gain the affection of Mary than 
by charity towards our neighbor.” Therefore, as 
God exhorts us, saying. Be ye merciful, as your 
Father also is merciful (Luke vi. 36), so also does 
Mary seem to say to all her children, “ Be ye 
merciful, as your Mother also is merciful.” It is 
certain that our charity towards our neighbor 
will be the measure of that which God and Mary 
will show us: Give, and it shall he given to you. 
For with the same measure that you shall mete 
withal, it shall he measured to you again. (Luke 
vi. 38.) St. Methodius used to say, “ Give to the 


Mary's Faith. 


169 


poor and receive paradise/’ For the Apostle 
writes that charity towards our neighbor renders 
us happy both in this world and in the next: But 
piety is profitable to all things , having promise of 
the life that now is, and of that which is to come. 
(I. Tim. iv. 8.) St. John Chrysostom, on these 
words of Proverbs, He that hath mercy on the poor 
lendeth to the Lord (Prov. xix. 17), makes a re¬ 
mark to the same effect, saying, “ He who assists 
the needy makes God his debtor/’ 

0 Mother of mercy, thou art full of charity for 
all; forget not my miseries; thou seest them full 
well. Eecommend me to God, who denies thee 
nothing. Obtain for me the grace to imitate 
thee in holy charity, as well towards God as 
towards my neighbor. Amen. 

IY. 

Mary’s Faith. 

As the Blessed Virgin is the Mother of holy 
love and hope, so also is she the Mother of faith: 
I am the Mother of fair love , and of fear , and of 
knowledge, and of holy hope. (Ecclus. xxiv. 24.) 
And with reason is she so, says St. Irenseus; for 
“ the evil done by Eve’s incredulity was remedied 
by Mary’s faith.” Pichard, on the words of St. 
Paul, for the unbelieving husband is sanctified by 


170 The Virtues of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary. 

the believing wife, also says that “ Mary is the 
believing woman by whose faith the unbelieving 
Adam and all his posterity are saved/ 7 Hence, on 
* account of her faith, Elizabeth called the holy 
Virgin blessed: Blessed art thou that hast believed 
because those things shall be accomplished in thee 
that were spoken by the Lord. (Luke i. 45.) And 
St. Augustine adds that Mary was rather blessed 
by receiving the faith of Christ than by conceiv¬ 
ing the flesh of Christ. 

Father Suarez says that the most holy Virgin 
had more faith than all men and angels. She saw 
her Son in the crib of Bethlehem, and believed him 
the Creator of the world. She saw him fly from 
Herod, and yet believed him the King of kings. 
She saw him born and believed him eternal. She 
saw him poor and in need of food, and believed 
him the Lord of the universe. She saw him lying 
on straw, and believed him omnipotent. She ob¬ 
served that he did not speak, and she believed him 
infinite wisdom. She heard him weep, and believed, 
him the joy of paradise. In fine, she saw him in 
death, despised and crucified, and, although faith 
wavered in others, Mary remained firm in the belief 
that he was God. On these words of the Gospel, 
there sto d by the cross of Jesus his Mother (John 
xix. 25), St. Antoninus says, “ Mary stood, sup¬ 
ported by her faith, which she retained firm in the , 



Mary's Faith. 


171 


divinity of Christ.” And for this reason it is, the 
saint adds, that in the office of Tenebrce only one 
candle is left lighted. St. Leo, on this subject, 
applies to our blessed Lady the words of Proverbs, 
Her lamp shall not be put out in the night. (Prov. 
xxxi., 18.) And on the words of Isaias, I have 
trodden the wine-press alone (Is. lxiii. 3), St. 
Thomas remarks that the prophet says “ a man,” 
on account of the Blessed Virgin, in whom faith 
never failed. Hence Blessed Albert the Great 
assures us that “ Mary then exercised perfect faith; 
for even when the disciples were doubting she did 
not doubt.” 

St. Ildephonsus exhorts us to imitate Mary’s 
faith. But how can we do so? Faith, at the same 
time that it is a gift, is also a virtue. It is a gift 
of God, inasmuch as it is a light infused by him 
into our souls; and a virtue, inasmuch as the soul 
has to exercise itself in the practice of it. Hence 
faith is not only to he the rule of our belief, but 
also that of our actions; therefore St. Gregory 
says, “ He truly believes who puts what he believes 
into practice; ” and St. Augustine, “ Thou sayest, 
I believe; do what thou sayest, and it is faith.” 
This is to have a lively faith, to live according to 
our belief: My just man liveth by faith.. (Heb. x. 
38.) Thus did the Blessed Virgin live very dif¬ 
ferently from those who do not live in accordance 


172 The Virtues of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary. 

with what they believe, and whose faith is dead, as 
St. James declares, Faith without works is dead. 
(James if. 26.) 

Diogenes sought for a man on earth; but God, 
amongst the many faithful, seems to seek for a 
Christian, for few there are who have good works; 
the greater part have only the name of Christian. 
To such as these should be applied the words once 
addressed by Alexander to a cowardly soldier who 
was also named Alexander: “ Either change thy 
name or change thy conduct." But as Father 
Avila used to say, “ It would be better to shut up 
these poor creatures as madmen, believing, as they 
do, that an eternity of happiness is prepared for 
those who lead good lives, and an eternity of 
misery for those who lead bad ones, and who yet 
live as if they believed nothing.” St. Augustine 
therefore exhorts us to see things with the eyes of 
Christians, that is to say, with eyes which look at 
all in the light of faith; for, as St. Teresa often 
said, all sins come from a want of faith. Let us 
therefore entreat the most holy Virgin, by the 
merit of her faith, to obtain us a lively faith. “ 0 
Lady, increase our faith.” 


Mary's Hope. 


173 


V. 

Mary’s Hope. 

Hope takes its rise in faith; for God enlightens 
us by faith to know his goodness and the prom¬ 
ises he has made, that by this knowledge we may 
rise by hope to the desire of possessing him. 
Mary then, having had the virtue of faith in its 
highest degree, had also hope in the same degree 
of excellence; and this made her say with David: 
But it is good for me to adhere to my God, to put 
my hope in the Lord God. (Ps. lxxii. 28.) For 
she was always perfectly detached from earthly 
affection, looking upon the world as a desert, and 
therefore in no way relying either on creatures 
or on her own merits, but relying only on divine 
grace, in which was all her confidence, she always 
advanced in the love of God. The most holy Vir¬ 
gin gave a clear indication of the greatness of 
her confidence in God, in the first place, when she 
saw the anxiety of her holy spouse St. Joseph. 
Unable to account for her wonderful pregnancy, 
he was troubled at the thought of leaving her; hut 
Joseph ... minded to put her away privately. 
(Matt. i. 19.) It appeared then necessary, as we 
have elsewhere remarked, that she should dis¬ 
cover the hidden mystery to St. Joseph; but no, 
she would not herself manifest the grace she had 


174 The Virtues of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary. 

received; she thought it better to abandon her¬ 
self to divine Providence, in the full confidence 
that God himself would defend her innocence and 
reputation. 

Mary again showed her confidence in God when 
she knew that the time for the birth of Our Lord 
approached, and was yet driven even from the 
lodgings of the poor in Bethlehem, and obliged 
to bring forth in a stable: and she laid him in a 
manger, because there was no room for him in the 
inn. (Luke ii. 7.) She did not then let drop a 
single word of complaint, but abandoning herself 
to God, she trusted that he would there assist 
her. 

The divine Mother also showed how great was 
her confidence in divine Providence when she re¬ 
ceived notice from St. Joseph that they must fly 
into Egypt. On that very night -she undertook 
so long a journey to a strange and unknown coun¬ 
try without provisions, without money, accompa¬ 
nied only by her infant Jesus and her poor 
spouse, who arose and took the Child and his Mother 
by night, and retired into Egypt. (Matt. ii. 14.) 

But much more did she show her confidence 
when she asked her Son for wine at the marriage- 
feast of Cana; for when she had said, They have 
no wine, Jesus answered her. Woman, what is it to 
thee and to me? My hour is not yet come. (John 


Mary's Chastity. 


175 


ii. 3.) After this answer, which seemed an evi¬ 
dent refusal, her confidence in the divine good¬ 
ness w T as such that she desired the servants to 
do whatever her Son told them; for the favor was 
certain to be granted: Whatsoever he shall say to 
you , do ye. It indeed- was so: Jesus Christ or¬ 
dered the vessels to be filled with water, and 
changed it into wine. 

Let us, then, learn from Mary to have that con¬ 
fidence in God which we ought always to have, 
but principally in the great affair of our eternal 
salvation—an affair in which it is true that we 
must co-operate; yet it is from God alone that we 
must hope for the grace necessary to obtain it. 
We must distrust our own strength and say 
with the Apostle, I can do all things in him who 
strengtheneth me. (Phil. iv. 13.) 

Ah, my most holy Lady, Ecclesiasticus tells 
me that thou art the Mother of holy hope; and the 
holy Church that thou art our hope. For what 
other hope, then, need I seek? Thou, after 
Jesus, art all my hope. 


VI. 

Mary’s Chastity. 

Since the fall of Adam, the senses being rebel¬ 
lious to reason, chastity is of all virtues the one 


176 The Virtues of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary. 

that is the most difficult to practise. St. Augus¬ 
tine says: “ Of all the combats in which we are 
engaged, the most severe are those of chastity; 
its battles are of daily occurrence, but victory is 
Tare.” May God be ever praised, however, who 
in Mary has given us a great example of this 
virtue. 

“ With reason,” says Blessed Alb.ertus Magnus, 
'“is Mary called the Virgin of virgins; for she, 
without the counsel or example of others, was the 
first who offered her virginity to God.” Thus 
did she bring all virgins who imitate her to God, 
us David had already foretold: After her shall vir¬ 
gins be brought . . . into the temple of the King. 
(Ps. xliv. 15.) Therefore does St. Ambrose call 
Mary “ the standard-bearer of virginity.” 

St. Gregory of Nyssa says that so much did the 
Blessed Virgin love this virtue that, to preserve 
it, she would have been willing to renounce even 
the dignity of Mother of God. This we may con¬ 
clude from her answer to the archangel. How 
shall this be done, because I know not man? (Luke 
i. 34) and from the words she afterwards added. 
Be it done to me according to thy word (ib. 38), 
signifying that she gave her consent on the con¬ 
dition that, as the angel had assured her, she 
should become a mother only by the overshadow¬ 
ing of the Holy Ghost. 



Mary's Chastity. 


177 


St. Ambrose says that “ whoever has preserved 
chastity is an angel, and that he who has lost it 
is a devil.” Our Lord assures us that those who 
are chaste become angels: They shall be as the 
angels of God in heaven. (Matt. xxii. 30.) But 
the impure become as devils, hateful in the sight 
of God. Seldom, as we have already said with 
St. Augustine, is a victory gained over this vice. 
But why? It is because the means by which it 
may be gained are seldom made use of. 

These means are three, according to Bellar- 
mine and the masters of a spiritual life: fast¬ 
ing, the avoidance of dangerous occasions, and 
prayer. 

1. By fasting is to be understood especially 
mortification of the eyes and of the appetite. It 
is said that from her very childhood the modesty 
of the Blessed Virgin was such that it.filled every 
one who saw her with astonishment. 

2. The second means is to fly the occasions of 
sin: He that is aware of the snares shall be secure. 
(Prov. xi. 15.) Mary fled as much as possible 
from the sight of men; and therefore St. Luke 
remarks that in going to visit St. Elizabeth, she 
wpnt with haste into the hill country. An author 
observes that the Blessed Virgin left St. Eliza¬ 
beth before St. John was born, as we learn from 
the same Gospel, where it is said that Mary abode 


178 The Virtues of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary. 

with her about three months, and she returned to her 
own house. Now Elizabeth’s full time of being 
delivered was come, and she brought forth a son. 
(Luke i. 56.) And why did she not wait 
for this event? It was that she might avoid 
the conversations and visits which would accom¬ 
pany it. 

3. The third means is prayer. And as I knew, 
said the Wise Man, that I could not otherwise be 
continent except God gave it ... I went to the 
Lord and besought him. (Wisd. viii. 21.) The 
Blessed Virgin revealed to St. Elizabeth of Hun¬ 
gary that she acquired no virtue without effort 
and continual prayer. St. John Damascene says 
that Mary “ is pure and a lover of purity.” Hence 
she cannot endure those who are unchaste. But 
whoever has recourse to her will certainly be de¬ 
livered from this vice, if he only pronounces her 
name with confidence. 

0 Mary, 0 most pure dove, how many are now 
in hell on account of this vice! Sovereign Lady, 
obtain us the grace always to have recourse to 
thee in our temptations, and always to invoke 
thee, saying, “ Mary, Mary, help us.” Amen. 


Mary's Poverty. 


179 


VII. 

Mary’s Poverty. 

Our most loving Redeemer, that we might learn 
from him to despise the things of the world, was 
pleased to be poor on earth: Being rich , says St. 
Paul, he became poor for your sake, that through 
his poverty you might he rich. (II. Cor. viii. 9.) 
Therefore doth Jesus Christ exhort each one who 
desires to be his disciple, If thou wilt he perfect, 
go sell what tliou hast, omd give to the poor . . . and 
come, follow me. (Matt. xix. 21.) 

Behold Mary, his most perfect disciple, who 
indeed imitated his example. Father Canisius 
proves that Mary could have lived in comfort on 
the property she inherited from her parents, but 
she preferred to remain poor, and reserving only 
a small portion for herself, distributed the rest 
in alms to the temple and the poor. 

The gifts received from the holy Magi cannot 
certainly have been of small value; but we are 
assured by St. Bernard that she distributed them 
to the poor through the hands of St. Joseph. 
That the divine Mother immediately disposed of 
these gifts is also evident from the fact that at her 
purification in the Temple she did not offer a 
lamb, which was the offering prescribed in Leviti- 


180 The Virtues of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary. 

cus for those who could afford it, for a son she 
shall bring a lamb (Lev. xii. 6); hut she offered 
two turtle-doves, or two pigeons, which was the 
oblation prescribed for the poor: And to offer a 
sacrifice, according as it was written in the law of 
the Lord, a pair of turtle-doves or two young 
pigeons. (Luke ii. 24.) 

Out of love for poverty she did not disdain to 
marry St. Joseph, who was only a poor carpenter, 
and afterwards to maintain herself by the work of 
her hands, spinning or sewing, as we are assured 
by St. Bonaventure. In a word, she always lived 
poor, and she died poor; for at her death we do 
not know that she left anything but two poor 
gowns, to two women who had served her during 
her life, as it is recorded by Metaphrastes and 
Nicephorus. 

St. Philip Neri used to say that “ he who loves 
the things of the world will never become a 
saint.” We may add what St. Teresa said on the 
same subject, that “ it justly follows that he who 
runs after perishable things should also himself 
be lost.” But, on the other hand, she adds that 
the virtue of poverty is a treasure which com¬ 
prises in itself all other treasures. She says the 
“ virtue of poverty; ” for, as St. Bernard remarks, 
this virtue does not consist only in being poor, 
but in loving poverty. Therefore did Jesus- 



Mary's Obedience . 


181 


Christ say, Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs 
•is the kingdom of heaven. (Matt. v. 3.) They are 
blessed because they desire nothing but God, and 
in God they find every good; in poverty they find 
their paradise on earth, as St. Francis did when 
he exclaimed, “ My God and my all.” 

Let us, then, as St. Augustine exhorts us, 
“ love that one good in which all good things are 
found,” and “when we have to suffer from pov¬ 
erty, let us console ourselves,” says St. Bonaven- 
ture, “ with the thought that Jesus and his 
Mother were also poor like ourselves.” 

Ah, my most holy Mother, thou hadst indeed 
reason to say that in God was thy joy: and my 
spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour; for in this 
world thou didst desire and love no other good but 
God. Draw me after thee. 0 Lady, detach me 
from the world that I may love him alone, who 
alone deserves to be loved. Amen. 

VIII. 

Mary’s Obedience. 

When the angel Gabriel announced to Mary 
God’s great designs upon her, she, through love 
for obedience, would only call herself a hand¬ 
maid: Behold the handmaid of the Lord. (Luke i. 
38.) “ Yes,” says St. Thomas of Villanova, “ for 

this faithful handmaid never, in either thought 


182 The Virtues of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary. 

or word or deed, contradicted the Most High; hut, 
entirely despoiled of her own will, she lived 
always and in all things obedient to that of God.” 
She herself declared that God was pleased with 
her obedience, when she said. He hath regarded 
the humility of his handmaid; for in prompt 
obedience it is that the humility of a servant, 
properly speaking, consists. St. Irenseus says 
that by her obedience the divine Mother repaired 
the evil done by Eve’s disobedience: “As Eve, by 
her disobedience, caused her own death and that 
of the whole human race, so did the Virgin Mary, 
by her obedience, become the cause of her own 
salvation and of that of all mankind.” Mary’s 
obedience was much more perfect than that of all 
other saints; since all men, on account of original 
sin, are prone to evil and find it difficult to do 
good; but not so the Blessed Virgin. St. Bernar- 
dine writes that “ because Mary was free from 
original sin, she found no obstacle in obeying 
God; she was like a wheel, which was easily turned 
by every inspiration of the Holy Ghost. Hence,” 
continues the same saint, “ her only object in 
this world was to keep her eyes constantly fixed 
on God, to discover his will, and, when she, had 
found out what he required, to perform it.” 

Mary well proved how ready she was to obey 


Mary's Patience. 


183 


God, she obeyed even the Roman emperor, and 
undertook the long journey of at least seventy 
miles to Bethlehem in such poverty that she had 
to give birth to her Son in a stable. She showed 
equal obedience in undertaking, on the very same 
night on which she had notice of it from St. 
Joseph, the longer and more difficult journey into 
Egypt. But above all she showed her heroic 
obedience when, to obey the divine will, she 
offered her Son to death. So that, as the vener¬ 
able Bede tells us, Mary was indeed blessed in 
becoming the Mother of God, but that she was 
much more so in always loving and obeying the 
divine will. 

Our own sweet Queen, then, and Mother, inter¬ 
cede with Jesus for us; by the merit of thine 
obedience obtain that we may be faithful in obey¬ 
ing his will and the commands of our spiritual 
fathers. Amen. 


IX. 

Mary’s Patience. 

This world being a place of merit, is rightly 
called a valley of tears; for we are all placed in it 
to suffer, that we may, by patience, gain our own 
souls unto life eternal, as Our Lord himself says: 
In your 'patience you shall possess your souls. 
(Luke xxi. 19 .) God gave us the Blessed Virgin 


184 The Virtues of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary. 

Mary as a model of all virtues, but more espe¬ 
cially as an example of patience. St. Francis de 
Sales, amongst other things, remarks that it was 
precisely for this reason that at the marriage- 
feast of Cana Jesus Christ gave the Blessed Vir¬ 
gin an answer, by which he seemed to value her 
prayers but little: "Woman, what is that to thee and 
to me? (John ii. 4.) And he did this that he 
might give us the example of the patience of his 
most holy Mother. But what need have we to 
seek for instances of this virtue? Mary’s whole 
life was a continual exercise of her patience; for, 
as the angel revealed to St. Bridget, “ as a rose 
grows up amongst thorns, so did the Blessed Vir¬ 
gin grow up amongst tribulations.” Compassion 
alone for the Kedeemer’s sufferings sufficed to 
make her a martyr of patience. Hence St. Bona- 
venture says “that a crucified Mother conceived 
a crucified Son.” In speaking of her dolors, we 
have already considered how much she suffered, 
both in her journey to Egypt and during her resi¬ 
dence there, as also during the time she lived 
with her Son in the house at Nazareth. What 
Mary endured when present at the death of Jesus 
on Calvary is alone sufficient to show us how con¬ 
stant and sublime was her patience: There stood ly 
the cross of Jesus his Mother. 

If we, then, wish to be the children of Mary, 


Mary's Patience. 


185 


we must endeavor to imitate her in her patience: 
“ For what,” says St. Cyprian, “ can enrich us 
with greater merit in this life, and greater glory 
in the next, than the patient enduring of suffer¬ 
ings?” God said by the prophet Osee: I will 
hedge up thy way with thorns. (Osee ii. 6.) 

As a hedge of thorns protects a vineyard, so 
does God protect his servants from the danger 
of attaching themselves to the earth, by encom¬ 
passing them with tribulations. Therefore St. 
Cyprian concludes that it is patience that delivers 
us from sin and from hell. 

It is also patience that makes saints: Patience 
hath a perfect work (James i. 4), bearing in peace 
not only the crosses which come immediately 
from God, such as sickness, poverty, but also 
those which come from men—persecutions, in¬ 
juries, and the rest. St. John saw all the saints 
bearing palm branches—the emblem of martyr¬ 
dom—in their hands: After this I saw a great 
multitude, and palms were in their hands (Apoc. 
vii. 9); thereby denoting that all adults who are 
saved must be martyrs, either by shedding their 
blood for Christ or by patience. “ Rejoice then,” 
exclaims St. Gregory; “ we can be martyrs with¬ 
out the executioner’s sword, if we only preserve 
patience.” “ Provided only,” as St. Bernard says, 
we endure the afflictions of this life with pa- 


186 The Virtues of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary. 

tience and joy.” 0 what fruit will not every 
pain borne for God’s sake produce for us in 
heaven! Hence the Apostle encourages us, saying: 
That which is at present momentary and light of 
our tribulation worketh for us above measure exceed¬ 
ingly an eternal weight of glory. (II. Cor. iv. 17.) 

St. Teresa’s instructions on this subject are 
beautiful. She used to say, “ Those who embrace 
the cross do not feel it; ” and elsewhere, “ that if 
we resolve to suffer the pain ceases.” When our 
crosses weigh heavily upon us, let us have re¬ 
course to Mary, who is called by the Church “ the 
Comfortress of the afflicted.” 

Ah, my most sweet Lady, thou who wast inno¬ 
cent did suffer with so much patience; and shall 
I, who deserve hell, refuse to suffer? My Mother, 
I now ask thee this favor—not, indeed, to be de¬ 
livered from crosses, but to bear them with 
patience. For the love of Jesus, I entreat thee 
to obtain at least this grace for me from God; 
from thee do I hope for it with confidence. 

X. 

The Spirit of Prayer and Meditation in Mary. 

There was never a soul on earth that practised 
in so perfect a manner as the Blessed Virgin the 
great lesson taught by Our Saviour, that we ought 


Mary's Spirit of Prayer and Meditation. 187 

always to pray and not to faint. (Luke xviii. 1.) 
From no one, says St. Bonaventure, can we better 
take example and learn how necessary is perse¬ 
verance in prayer than from Mary: “ Mary gave 
an example which we must follow and not faint; ” 
for Blessed Albert the Great asserts that after 
Jesus Christ the divine Mother was the most 
perfect in prayer of all who ever have been or 
ever will be. Her prayer was continual and 
persevering. Moreover, she prayed with the 
greatest recollection of spirit, free from every 
distraction and inordinate affection, nor did any 
exterior occupation ever obscure the light of her 
unceasing contemplation, as we are assured by 
Denis the Carthusian. 

Through love for prayer the Blessed Virgin 
was so enamored of solitude that, as she told St. 
Bridget, when she lived in the Temple she avoided 
even intercourse with her parents. On the words 
of the prophet Isaias: Behold a Virgin shall con¬ 
ceive and hear a Son, and his name shall he called 
Emmanuel (Is. vii. 14), St. Jerome remarks that 
the word virgin, in Hebrew, properly signifies a 
retired virgin; so that even the prophet foretold 
the affection which Mary would have for solitude. 
Richard of St. Laurence says that the angel ad¬ 
dressed her in these words: The Lord is with thee> 
on account of her great love for retirement. 


188 The Virtues of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary. 

For this reason St. Vincent Ferrer asserts that 
the divine Mother “ only left her house to go to 
the Temple, and then her demeanor was all com¬ 
posed, and she kept her eyes modestly cast down.” 
Flom this St. Ambrose says “ that virgins should 
learn to avoid the world.” 

Philo assures us that “ God only speaks to souls 
in solitude.” God himself declares the same 
thing by the prophet Osee: I will lead her into 
the wilderness, and I will speak to her heart. (Osee 
ii. 14.) “ 0 happy solitude! ” exclaims St. Jer¬ 

ome, “in which God speaks familiarly and con¬ 
verses with his own.” “ Yes,” says St. Bernard, 
“ for solitude, and the silence which is there en¬ 
joyed, force the soul to leave the earth in 
thought, and meditate on things of heaven.” 

Most holy Virgin, do thou obtain us affection 
for prayer and retirement, that, detaching our¬ 
selves from the love of creatures, we may aspire 
only after God and heaven, where we hope one 
day to see thee, to praise thee, and to love thee, 
together with Jesus, thy Son, for ever and ever. 
Amen. 


Come over to me, all ye that desire me, and he 
filled with my fruits. (Ecclus. xxiv. 26.) Mary’s 
fruits are her virtues. “Thou hast had none 



Mary's Spirit of Prayer and Meditation. 189 

like thee, nor shalt thou have an equal. Thou 
alone of women hast above all pleased Christ.” 

Salve, Regina, Mater mvsericordice! Vita, dul- 
cedo, et spes nostra! salve. Ad te clamamus, 
exules filii Evce. Ad te suspiramus, gententes et 
flentes in hac lacrymarum valle. Eia ergo, Advo~ 
cata nostra! illos tuos misericordes oculos ad nos 
converte. Et Jesum, benedictum Fructum ventris 
tui, nobis post hoc exilium ostende, o clemens, o pia, 
o dulcis Virgo Maria! 

Hail, 0 Queen, 0 Mother of mercy! hail our 
life, our comfort, and our hope. We, the ban¬ 
ished children of Eve, cry out unto thee. To 
thee we send up our sighs, groaning and weeping 
in this vale of tears. Come, then, our advocate, 
and look upon us with those thy pitying eyes. 
And after this our banishment show us Jesus, 
the blessed fruit of thy womb; 0 merciful, 0 com¬ 
passionate, 0 sweet Virgin Mary. 


PART SECOND. 


^practices? of SDrtiotton in Jt>onor of tlje HDtfotne 

“ The Queen of heaven is so gracious and liberal,” 
says St. Andrew of Crete, “ that she recompenses her 
servants with the greatest munificence for the most 
trifling devotions.” Two conditions, however, there 
are: 

The first is, that when we offer her our devotions 
our souls should be free from sin. In the first part 
of this work it was said that it was morally impos¬ 
sible for a client of Mary to be lost; but this must 
be understood on condition that he lives either with¬ 
out sin, or, at least, with the desire to abandon it; 
for then the Blessed Virgin will help him. But 
should any one, on the other hand, sin in the hope 
that Mary will save him, he thereby would render 
himself unworthy and incapable of her protection. 

The second condition is perseverance in devotion 
to Mary: “ Perseverance alone,” says St. Bernard, 
“ will merit a crown.” The advice given by the 
Venerable John Berchmans of the Society of Jesus 
deserves our particular attention. When this holy 
young man was dying his companions entreated him, 
before he left this world, to tell them what devotion 
they could perform which would be most agreeable 
to our blessed Lady. He replied in the following 
190 



The Hail Mary. 


191 


remarkable words: “ Any devotion, however small, 
provided it is constant. 7 ’ 


The Hail Mary. 

This angelical salutation is most pleasing to 
the ever-blessed Virgin; for, whenever she hears 
it, it would seem as if the joy which she experi¬ 
enced when St. Gabriel announced to her that 
she was the chosen Mother of God, was renewed 
in her; and with this object in view we should 
often salute her with the “ Hail Mary.” “ Salute 
her,” says Thomas a Kempis, “ with the angelical 
salutation; for she indeed hears this sound with 
pleasure.” 

To practise this devotion: 

1. We can every morning and evening on rising 
and going to bed say three “ Hail Marys,” and 
add to each “ Hail Mary ” this short prayer: 0 
Mary , by thy pure and immamlate conception , make 
my body pure and my soul holy. 

2. We can say the “Angelus ” with the usual 
three “ Hail Marys” in the morning, at midday, 
and in the evening. Pope John XXII. was the first 
to grant an indulgence for this devotion. In 
1724 Benedict XIII. granted a hundred days’ in¬ 
dulgence to all who recite it, and a plenary indul¬ 
gence once a month to those who during that 


192 


Practices of Devotion. 


time have recited it daily as above, on condition 
of going to confession and receiving the holy 
Communion and praying for the usual intentions. 
Father Crasset says that Clement X. granted 
other indulgences to those who, at the end of 
each “ Hail Mary,” add “ Thanks he to God and 
to Mary.” Formerly, at the sound of the hell, 
all knelt down to say the “Angelus; ” but in the 
present day there are some who are ashamed to 
do so. St. Charles Borromeo was not ashamed 
to leave his carriage or get off his horse to say 
the “Angelus ” in the street, and even sometimes 
in the mud. In consequence of a rescript of 
Pius VI. of March 18, 1781, these indulgences 
can he obtained also by the faithful when they 
are where the “Angelus” is not rung or cannot 
he heard, if they say the prayers at the respective 
hours. Here we must remark that Benedict XIV. 
directed that in paschal time, instead of saying 
the “Angelus ” we should say the “ Regina coeli; ” 
and that on Saturday evenings and the whole of 
Sunday the “Angelus” should he said standing. 

3. In going out and returning to the house we 
can salute the Blessed Virgin with a “ Hail 
Mary.” We should reverence every image of 
Mary which we pass with a “Hail Mary.” By 
command of the holy Church all the canonical 
hours are preceded by a “ Hail Mary ” and con- 


The Hail Mary. 


193 


eluded with it; we therefore do well to begin and 
end all our actions with a “ Hail Mary,” whether 
they are spiritual, such as prayer, confession, and 
Communion, spiritual reading, hearing sermons, 
and the like; or temporal, such as study, giving 
advice, working, going to table, to bed, etc. 
Happy are those actions that are enclosed be¬ 
tween two “ Hail Marys.” So also should we do 
on waking in the morning, on closing our eyes 
to sleep, in every temptation, in every danger, in 
every inclination to anger, and the like. 

4. The Blessed Virgin revealed to a devout 
soul that she was much pleased at being honored 
by her servants with the following devotion, 
called the Little Chaplet of the Blessed Trinity: 

I render Thee thanks, 0 Eternal Father! for 
the power that Thou hast given to Mary, Thy 
daughter. 

Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be to the Father, 
etc. 

I render Thee thanks, 0 Eternal Son! for the 
wisdom that Thou hast given to Mary, Thy 
Mother. 

Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be to the Father, 
etc. 

I render Thee thanks, 0 Eternal Spirit! for 
the love that Thou hast given to Mary, Thy 
Spouse. 




194 Practices of Devotion. 

Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be to the Father, 
etc. 

My dear reader, do this, and you will see the 
immense advantage that you will derive from it. 
Eemember also that for every “ Hail Mary ” there 
is an indulgence of thirty days. 


Fasting. 

It is well known that Saturday is dedicated by 
the holy Church to Mary, because, as St. Bernard : 
says, on that day, the day after the death of her 
Son, she remained constant in faith. Therefore 
Mary’s clients are careful to honor her on that I 
day by some particular devotion, and especially [, 
by fasting, as did St. Charles Borromeo, Cardinal 
Tolet, and so many others. If our health does , 
not permit us to fast, at least we should on Sat- 1 
urdays content ourselves with one dish, or abstain 
from fruit, or something for which we have a 
relish.. On Saturdays we should always practise S 
some devotion in honor of our blessed Lady, re¬ 
ceive holy Communion, or at least hear Mass, 
visit an image of Mary, or something of that sort. 
But at least on the vigils of her seven principal 
festivals her clients should offer her this fast or 
honor her otherwise as best they can. 



Confraternities of our Blessed Lady. 195 


The Visiting of the Images of Mary. 

The holy Church has defended the sacred 
images even with the blood of martyrs; and the 
divine Mother has shown by prodigies how pleas¬ 
ing to her are the visits paid to her images. 
Hence all Mary’s clients often visit with great 
affection her images and the churches dedicated 
in her honor. These are precisely, according to 
St. John Damascene, the cities of refuge in 
which we can find safety from temptations and 
the chastisements that we have deserved for our 
sins. Let us not think it too much to visit our 
Queen every day in some church or chapel, or 
even in our own house, where for this purpose it 
would be well to have in a retired part a little 
oratory, with her image, which should be kept 
decorated with drapery, flowers, tapers, or lamps; 
and before it we should also recite her litany, the 
rosary, etc. 


Confraternities of our Blessed Lady. 

St. Francis de Sales, with great earnestness, 
exhorts all seculars to join the confraternities of 
the Blessed Virgin. What pains, moreover, did 
not St. Charles Borromeo take to establish and 
multiply these confraternities? In his synods he 


196 


Practices of Devotion. 


particularly recommends confessors to engage 
their penitents to join them. And with good 
reason; for these sodalities, especially those of 
our blessed Lady, are so many Noe’s arks, in 
which poor seculars find a refuge from the deluge 
of temptations and sins which inundate the world. 
We, from the experience of our missions, well 
know the utility of these confraternities. The 
reason that confraternities do so much good is 
that in them the members acquire many weapons 
of defence against hell, and put in practice the 
requisite means of preservation in divine grace, 
which are seldom made use of by seculars who are 
not members of these confraternities. But those 
who frequent the meetings of their confraterni¬ 
ties are led to think of these truths by the many 
meditations, lectures and sermons they there 
hear: My sheep hear my voice. (John x. 27.) 

To save one’s soul, prayer is necessary: Ash, and 
you shall receive (ib. xvi. 24); this the members of 
the confraternities do constantly. God also 
hears their prayers the more readily; for he has 
himself said that he grants graces more willingly 
to prayers offered up in common. In confrater¬ 
nities the sacraments are most likely to be fre¬ 
quented, both on account of thei rules and the 
example which is given by the other members. 
Besides the frequentation of the sacraments in 





Several other Practices in Honor of Mary. 197 

these confraternities, many acts of mortification, 
humility, and charity towards the sick brethren 
and the poor are performed. Well would it be if 
this holy custom of assisting the sick poor of the 
place were introduced into all confraternities. 

We have already said how profitable it is for our 
salvation to serve the Mother of God: and what 
else do the members do in the confraternity but 
serve her? From the very beginning, the brothers 
are consecrated to her service; they choose her in 
an especial manner foi; their sovereign Lady and 
Mother; hence as they are her servants and chil¬ 
dren in an especial manner, in an especial manner 
are they treated by her, and she protects them in 
life and in death. It need not be added that the 
object which a brother should first of all have in 
view should be no other than to serve God and his 
holy Mother, and to save his soul. 

Several other Practices in Honor of Mary. 

Of all devotions, there is none so pleasing to our 
Mother as that of having frequent recourse to her 
intercession, seeking her help in all our wants; for 
example, when we have to give or ask advice, in 
dangers, afflictions, and temptations; and particu¬ 
larly in temptations against purity. The divine 
Mother will then certainly deliver us, if we have 
recourse to her by saying the antiphon, “ We fly to 


198 


Practices of Devotion. 


thy patronage/’ etc.; or with the “ Hail Mary; ” or 
by only invoking the most holy name of Mary. 

It is well also to know that Benedict XIII. 
granted fifty days’ indulgence to those who 
pronounce the names of Jesus and Mary. 

Clients of the Blessed Virgin are accustomed to 
give alms to the poor in honor of the divine 
Mother, especially on Saturdays. Let, therefore, 
no one think it too much to give a trifling alms 
every day in her honor, and to increase it on 
Saturdays. If they can do nothing else, they 
should at least perform some other act for the love 
of Mary; such as visiting the sick, praying for sin¬ 
ners, and for the souls in purgatory, etc. Works 
of mercy are very pleasing to the heart of this 
Mother of mercy. 

To say or hear Mass, or to have Mass said, in 
honor of the Blessed Virgin. It is true that the 
holy sacrifice of the Mass can be offered to God 
alone, to whom it is offered principally as an 
acknowledgment of his supreme dominion, but the 
sacred Council of Trent says that this does not 
prevent it from being, at the same time, offered to 
God in thanksgiving for the graces granted to the 
saints and to his most holy Mother, that whilst we 
are mindful of them, they may deign to intercede 
for us. And for this reason at Mass we say, “ That 
it may avail to their honor, but to our salvation.” 



Several other Practices in Honor of Mary. 199 

To reverence the saints who are more nearly 
related to Mary, as St. Joseph, St. Joachim, and 
St. Anne. We should also honor the saints who 
were most devoted to the divine Mother, such as 
St. John the Evangelist, St. John the Baptist, St. 
Bernard, St. John Damascene the defender of her 
images, St. Ildephonsufe the defender of her virgin¬ 
ity, etc. 

To read every day a book that treats of the 
glories of Mary; to preach, or at least to try to 
instil into all, and particularly our relatives, devo¬ 
tion to the divine Mother and to pray every day 
for the most devoted clients of Mary, both living 
and dead. 

We should also remember the many indulgences 
granted by sovereign pontiffs to those who in 
various ways honor the Queen of heaven. 1. To 
whoever says, “ Blessed be the holy and immacu¬ 
late conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary,” Pius 
VI. granted for each time an indulgence of one 
hundred days. Father Crasset says that other in¬ 
dulgences applicable to the souls in purgatory have 
been granted to those who after the word “ immac¬ 
ulate ” add “ and most pure.” 2. For the Salve 
Pegina, fort}^ days’ indulgence. 3. For the Litany 
of % Loretto, three hundred days’ indulgence. 4. 
To those who bow their heads on hearing the 
names of Jesus and Mary, twenty days’ indulgence. 


200 


Practices of Devotion . 


5. To those who say the “ Our Father” and the 
“ Hail Mary ” five times, in honor of the Passion 
of Jesus and the sorrows of Mary, many and great 
indulgences. 

Here, for the convenience of devout souls, are 
indicated other indulgences granted by sovereign 
pontiffs for other devotions. 1. For hearing 
Mass there are many indulgences. 2. For mak¬ 
ing the acts of faith, hope, charity, and contri¬ 
tion, with the intention of receiving the holy 
sacraments during life and in death, Benedict 
XIII. granted an indulgence of seven years and 
seven quarantines, and a plenary indulgence once \ 
a month applicable to the souls in purgatory, and 
for one’s self in the hour of death to those who 
have made these acts every day for a month. 

3. To those who meditate for half an hour every 
day Benedict XIY. granted many indulgences, 
and a plenary one once a month, on condition of 
approaching the sacraments of Penance and the 
Holy Eucharist. 4. To those who say the prayer 
Anima Christi, three hundred days’ indulgence. 

5. To those who accompany the holy viaticum, 
five years and five times forty days, if without a 
wax-light; and if with one, seven years and seven 
quarantines; to those who cannot accompany it, 
hut say a “ Pater ” and an “Ave ” for the inten¬ 
tion of the sovereign pontiff, one hundred days. 


Several other Practices in Honor of Mary. 201 

6. To those who visit the Blessed Sacrament, and 
say before it the “ Our Father,” “ Hail Mary,” 
and “ Glory be,” each five times, and another “ Our 
Father,” “ Hail Mary,” and “ Glory be ” for 
peace and union among Christian princes, for 
the extirpation of heresy, for the conversion 
of sinners, and for the triumph of holy Church, 
an indulgence of three hundred days, each 
time. 7. To priests who before saying Mass 
say the prayer Ego volo celebrare missam , fifty 
days. 8. To those who recite the “ De pro- 
fundis ” on their knees at the ringing of the 
“Angelus,” one hundred days. Those who en¬ 
deavor to gain these indulgences must be careful 
to dispose themselves by an act of contrition. 
To conclude, in the beautiful words of St. Ber- 
nardine of Sienna : “ 0 Lady, blessed amongst all 
women, thou art the honor of the human race 
and the salvation of our people. Thy merits 
have no limits, and thou hast full power over all 
creatures. - Thou art the Mother of God, the 
sovereign Lady of the world, and the Queen of 
heaven. Thou art the dispenser of all graces and 
the ornament of the holy Church. Thou art the 
model of the just, the consolation of the saints, 
and the root of our salvation. Thou art the joy 
of paradise, the gate of heaven, the glory of God. 
Behold, we have announced thy praises. We be- 



202 


Practices of Devotion. 


seech thee, then, 0 Mother of mercy, to supply 
for our weakness, to excuse our presumption, to 
accept our services, to bless our labors, by im¬ 
printing thy love in the hearts of all; that after 
having honored and loved thy Son on earth, we 
may praise him and bless him forever in heaven. 
Amen.” 


Ejaculatory Prayers. 

Mother of God, remember me. 

O Virgin and Mother, grant that I may always 
remember thee. 

Holy Virgin Mary, Mother of God, pray to Jesus 
for me. 

O Lady, grant that Jesus may never cast me off. 

O Mary, may my heart never cease to love thee, 
and my tongue never cease to praise thee. 

O Lady, by the love which thou bearest to Jesus, 
help me to love him. 

O Mary, be graciously pleased to make me thy 
servant. 

O Mary, I give myself to thee without reserve; do 
thou accept and preserve me. 

O Mary, abandon me not until death. 

Hail Mary, my Mother. 

Holy Mary, my Advocate, pray for me. 

In thee from my whole heart I have placed my 
hope. 

It is not possible, O Lady, that thou shouldst 
abandon him who has placed his hopes in thee. 

Hail, Daughter of God the Father, hail, Mother 
of God the Son; hail, Spouse of God the Holy 
Ghost; hail, Temple of the whole Trinity. 



Novenas. 


203 


The Little Office and the Litany. 

As to the little office of the Blessed Virgin, 
which is said to have been composed by St. Peter 
Damian, Pius V. granted indulgences to those 
who recited it; and the Blessed Virgin has many 
times shown how acceptable this devotion is to 
her, as may be seen in Father Auriemma’s little 
work. 

She is also much pleased with the Litany of 
Loretto, for reciting which there is an indulgence 
of three hundred days each time; and for those 
who say it every day, a plenary indulgence on 
Mary’s five principal festivals—the Immaculate 
Conception, Nativity, Annunciation, Purification, 
and Assumption, on the usual conditions. The 
hymn, Ave maris Stella, “ Hail Star of the Sea,” 
is also very pleasing to Mary; she desired St. 
Bridget to sav it every day; but still more is she 
pleased with the Magnificat; for we then praise 
her in the very words in which she herself praised 
God. 


Novenas. 

Devout clients of Mary celebrate the novenas, 
or nine days preceding her festivals. The fol¬ 
lowing devotions are some of those which may be 
used during the novenas: 


204 


Practices of Devotion. 


1. We may make mental prayer in the morning 
and evening and a visit to the Blessed Sacrament, 
adding nine times the “ Our Father, Hail Mary, 
and Glory he to the Father/ 7 and read every day 
of the novena some book that treats of her 
glories. 

2. We may perform some external mortifica¬ 
tion; we can also fast, or at table abstain from 
fruit, or some favorite dish, at least a part of it. 
On the vigil of the feast we may fast on bread and 
water: but none of these things should be done 
without the permission of our confessor. Inte- j 
rior mortifications, however, are the best of all 
to practise during these novenas, such as to avoid 
looking at or listening to things out of curiosity; £ 
to remain in retirement; observe silence; be 
obedient; not give impatient answers; bear con¬ 
tradictions, and such things; which can all be { 
practised with less danger of vanity, with greater 
merit, and which do not need the confessor’s per¬ 
mission. The most useful exercise is to propose 
from the beginning of the novena to correct some 
fault into which we fall the most frequently. 
The devotion most dear and pleasing to Mary is 
to endeavor to imitate her virtues; therefore it 
would be well always to propose to ourselves the 
imitation of some virtue that corresponds to the 
festival; as, for example, on the Feast of her Im- 




Novenas. 


205 


maculate Conception, purity of intention; on her 
Nativity, renewal of the spirit, to throw off tepid¬ 
ity; on her Presentation, detachment from some¬ 
thing to which we are most attached; on her An¬ 
nunciation, humility in supporting contempt; on 
her Visitation, charity towards our neighbor, in 
giving alms, or at least in praying for sinners; on 
her Purification, obedience to superiors; and in 
fine, on the Feast of her Assumption, let us en¬ 
deavor to detach ourselves from the world, do all 
to prepare ourselves for death, and regulate each 
day of our lives as if it were to be our last. 

3. Besides going to Communion on the day of 
the feast, it would be well to ask leave from our 
confessor to go more frequently during the 
novena. Father Segneri used to say that we can¬ 
not honor Mary better than with Jesus. We can 
offer her nothing that is more pleasing to her 
than the Holy Communion; for in that Holy 
Sacrament it is that Jesus gathers the fruit of 
his Passion in our soul. On the day of the feast, 
after Communion, we must offer ourselves to the 
service of this divine Mother, and ask of her the 
grace to practise the virtue, or whatever other 
grace we had proposed to ourselves, during the 


novena. 


MEDITATIONS ON THE LITANY OF 
LORETTO, FOR A NOYENA TO THE 
BLESSED VIRGIN. 


MEDITATION I. 

i. 

Sancta Maria, ora pro nobis. “ Holy Mary, 
pray for us."—Since, in the Litany of our 
blessed Lady, the Church teaches us to ask this 
good Mother so many times to pray for us, it will 
be well, before meditating upon the titles by which 
she is invoked, to consider the great power which 
her prayers have with God. Blessed is that person 
for whom Mary prays. Jesus rejoices when his 
most beloved Mother prays to him, that he may 
have the pleasure of granting her all she asks. 
Mary has only to speak, and her Son grants her all 
that she asks. Let us, therefore, pray to this 
divine Mother without ceasing if we wish to secure 
our eternal salvation; and let us address her in the 
words of St. Andrew of Crete: 

206 



Meditations on the Litany. 207 

“ We beseech thee, therefore, 0 holy Virgin, to 
grant us the help of thy prayers with God; prayers 
that are more precious than all the treasures of the 
world; prayers that obtain for us a very great 
abundance of graces; prayers that confound all 
enemies and triumph over their strength.” 

ii. 

Sancta Maria . “ Holy Mary.” —The name of 

Mary is a name of salvation. This name came not 
of earth, but from heaven: hence St. Epiphanius 
says that it was not given to Mary by her parents, 
but was imposed on her by the express will of God. 
Therefore it is that, after the name of Jesus, the 
name of Mary is above every other name; for God 
has filled it with grace and sweetness that every 
blessing may be obtained by him who names -it. 
St. Bernard says, “ 0 Mary, thou canst not be 
named without inflaming the heart of him who 
does so with love for thee.” St. Bonaventure 
says that the name of Mary cannot be invoked 
without profit to him who does so. Above all, 
this name has power to overcome the temptations 
of hell. 

Ah, my Lady, had I always invoked thee in my 
temptations, I should not have fallen. For the 
future I will never cease to invoke thee, saying, 
“Mary, help me; Mary, succor me.” And do thou 


208 


Practices of Devotion. 


obtain me the grace always to invoke thee in time 
of spiritual danger. 


hi. 

Sancta Dei Genitrix. “ Holy Mother of 
God.* 7 — If the prayers of the saints are very power¬ 
ful with God, how great must be the power of 
those of Mary! The former are the prayers of ser¬ 
vants, the latter the prayers of a mother and have 
something of the force of a command with Jesus 
Christ. Hence St. Antoninus concludes that it is 
impossible for the Son not to grant a grace for 
•which the Mother asks. St. Bernard, therefore, 
exhorts us to ask for every grace which we desire 
from God through Mary. “ Let us seek for grace, 
and seek it by Mary. 77 And why? “ Because she 
is a mother, and is always graciously heard. 77 

0 great Mother of God, pray to Jesus for me. 
Behold the miseries of my soul and pity me. 
Pray, and never cease to pray, until thou seest me 
safe in paradise. 0 Mary, thou art my hope; 
abandon me not. “Holy Mother of God, pray 
for us. 77 


MEDITATION II. 

> i. 

Mater divince gratice. “ Mother of Divine 
Grace. 77 — St. Anselm calls Mary “the Mother of 


Meditations on the Litany. 


209 


all graces; 77 and Blessed Raymond Jordano, “ The 
treasurer of divine grace/ 7 Hence St. Bernardine 
of Sienna writes that “ all the gifts and graces 
that we receive from God are dispensed by the 
hands of Mary, to whom, when, and as she 
pleases/ 7 This she herself says: With me are 
riches . . . that I may enrich them that love me. 
(Prov. viii. 18.) “ Our Lord has deposited all the 

riches of his graces in my hands that I may enrich 
those who love me/ 7 

Then, my Queen, if I love thee, I no longer shall 
be poor as I am. After God, I love thee above all 
things; do thou obtain me greater tenderness and 
love for thy goodness. St. Bonaventure tells me 
that all whom thou wiliest are saved; therefore 
will I address thee with the same saint, “ 0 salva¬ 
tion of all who call upon thee, save me from 
hell: 77 but first of all, save me from sin, which 
alone can take me to hell. 


ii. 

Mater purissima. “ Mother most pure. 77 — 
This Virgin Mother, all fair and pure, renders all 
her servants pure and chaste. St. Ambrose 
writes that when Mary was on earth her presence 
alone inspired all those who looked at her with 
a love of purity. She was called a lily amongst 
thorns: As the lily among thorns, so is my love 


210 


Practices of Devotion. 


among the daughters. (Cant. ii. 2.) “All other 
virgins/’ says Denis the Carthusian, “ were thorns 
either to themselves or to others; but the Blessed 
Virgin was so neither to herself nor to others, for 
she inspired all those upon whom she looked with 
pure and holy affections.” Frigenius, who wrote 
the life of St. Thomas Aquinas, relates that it 
was an ordinary saying of the saint that “ even 
the images of this chaste turtle-dove extinguish 
sensual desires in those who look at them with 
devotion.” The Venerable John D’Avila says 
“ that many who were tempted against purity had 
preserved themselves chaste by devotion to our 
blessed Lady.” 0, how especially powerful is the 
name of Mary in conquering all temptations to 
this vice! 

0 most pure Mary, deliver me from it. Grant 
that in my temptations I may always have re¬ 
course to thee, and invoke thee as long as the 
temptation lasts. 


hi. 

Mater inviolata. “ Mother undefiled.”— 
Mary was that spotless woman who always ap¬ 
peared beautiful and without stain in the eyes of 
God: Thou art all fair, 0 my love, and there is not 
a spot in thee. (Cant. iv. 7.) Hence she was 
made the sinner’s peacemaker, as she is called by 





Meditations on the Litany. 


211 


St. Ephrem, “ Hail, peacemaker of the whole 
world!” This she also says herself in the sacred 
Canticles: I am become in his presence as one find¬ 
ing peace. St. Gregory says, “ that if a rebel ap¬ 
peared before his offended king to appease him,, 
instead of doing so he would provoke him to 
greater anger.” Hence Mary being destined to 
treat of peace between God and men, it was not. 
becoming that she should appear as a sinner and 
as an accomplice in Adam’s sin; and therefore 
Our Lord preserved her from every stain. 

Ah, my immaculate Queen, fair dove, and the 
beloved of God, disdain not to cast thine eyes on 
the many stains and wounds of my soul: see me, 
and pity me. God, who loves thee so much, de¬ 
nies thee nothing; and thou knowest not how to 
refuse those who have recourse to thee. 0 Mary, 
to thee I have recourse; pity me. “ Mother invio¬ 
late, pray for us.” 

MEDITATION III. 

i. 

Mater amabilis. “ Mother most amiable.”— 
Richard of St. Laurence says "that Mary was 
amiable in the eyes of God himself.” How beau¬ 
tiful art thou, my love! how beautiful thou artl 
(Cant. iv. 1.) Hence he called her his only dove. 


214 


Practices of Devotion. 


to the Mother redounds to the honor of the 
Son.” Therefore Richard of St. Laurence writes 
that “all who honor her in this world will be 
honored by her in the next.” St. Anselm says 
“that as Mary, by becoming the Mother of God, 
was the means of the salvation of sinners, so are 
sinners saved by proclaiming her praises.” All 
cannot be preachers, but all can praise her and 
speak to relatives and friends in familiar conversa¬ 
tion of the merits of Mary, of her powers and 
mercy, and thus lead them to devotion towards 
this divine Mother. 

0 Queen of heaven, from this time forward I 
am determined to do all that I can to cause thee 
to be venerated and loved by all. Accept my desire 
and help me to execute it; in the mean time in¬ 
scribe me in the number of thy servants, and never 
permit me again to become a slave of Lucifer. 


ii. 

Virgo potens. “Virgin most powerful.”— 
And who amongst the saints is as powerful with 
God as his most holy Mother? She obtains all 
that she pleases. “ Thou wiliest,” says St. Ber¬ 
nard, “ and all is done.” Thus does the Son honor 
his beloved Mother by granting her whatever she 
asks, even in favor of sinners. Hence St. Ger- 
manus says, “ Thou, 0 Mother of God, art omnip- 


215 


Meditations on the Litany. 

otent to save sinners, and needest no other recom¬ 
mendation with God, for thou art the Mother of 
true life.” 

0 Mary, thou canst make me a saint; I rely on 
thee. 


hi. 

Virgo clemens. “Virgin most merciful.”— 
Mary is as clement and merciful toward those who 
have recourse to her intercession as she is powerful 
with God. St. Bernard says “ that since the power 
to save us cannot be wanting to Mary, as she is the 
Mother of God, so neither can the will be wanting 
to her, for she is our Mother.” Who is there 
that ever had recourse to Mary and was aban¬ 
doned? “ Let him cease to praise thy mercy,” says 
the same St. Bernard, “ who remembers having 
ever invoked thee without being graciously heard.” 
St. Bonaventure writes “ that Mary has so great 
a desire to be invoked by us that she may dis¬ 
pense her favors to us in greater abundance, 
that she is not only offended by those who 
speak ill of her, hut also by those who neglect to 
ask her for grace.” Thus, to obtain her help, we 
are not obliged to pray much to this Mother of 
mercy; it is enough to ask for it with confidence. 
“ Her mercy,” says Richard of St. Victor, “ comes 
to our aid before we invoke it;” and he tells us 


/ 


216 


Practices of Devotion. 


why: “ It is because she cannot know and see our 
miseries without relieving them.” 

See, then, 0 Mary, see my miseries and help me. 
“ Virgin most merciful, pray for us.” 


MEDITATION V. 

i. 

Virgo fidelis. “ Virgin most faithful.”— 
Blessed is he who by his prayers watches by the 
gate of Mary, as the poor wait at the door of the 
rich to obtain relief. Blessed is the man, Mary 
says, that heareth me, and that watcheth daily at my 
gates. (Prov. viii. 34.) 0 that we were as faith¬ 

ful to serve this divine Mother as # she is faithful to 
relieve us when we pray to her! Mary promises 
that all who serve and honor her shall be free from 
sin and obtain eternal life: They that work by me 
shall not sin. They that explain me shall have life 
everlasting . (Ecclus. xxiv. 30.) She invites all to 
have recourse to her, and promises them every 
grace that they desire: In me is all grace of the 
way and of the truth ; in me is all hope of life and 
of virtue; come over to me, all ye that desire me. 
(Ib. 25.) St. -Laurence Justinian applies to 
Mary that other text of Ecclesiasticus, her bands 
are a healthful binding (Ecclus. vi. 31); and then 
adds, “ wherefore bands, unless to bind her ser- 



Meditations on the Litany. 


217 


vants, that they may not stray in the fields of 
sin.” Mary binds her servants that they may 
not give themselves too much liberty, which 
would cause their ruin. 

0 Mother of God, in thee do I place all my 
confidence; thou must preserve me from falling 
any more into sin. My Lady, abandon me not, 
obtain me the grace rather to die than to lose 
the grace of God. 


ii. 

Causa nostrce Icetitice. “ Cause of our joy.”— 
As the dawn is a cause of joy after the darkness 
and gloom of night, so was the birth of Mary, 
who is our dawn, a cause of joy to the world 
which, before the coming of Jesus Christ, had 
been for four thousand years immersed in the 
darkness of sin. A holy Father says “ that in 
the birth of Mary the dawn appeared.” The 
dawn is the forerunner of the sun, and Mary was 
the precursor of the Incarnate Word, the Sun of 
Justice, the Redeemer, who, by his death, deliv¬ 
ered us from eternal death. With reason the 
Church sings, on the Nativity of Mary, “ Thy 
birth, 0 holy Mother of God, announced joy to 
the whole world.” And as Mary was the begin¬ 
ning of our joy, so she is also its completion; for 
St. Bernard says “ that Jesus Christ deposited 


216 


Practices of Devotion. 




why: “ It is because she cannot know and see our 
miseries without relieving them.” 

See, then, 0 Mary, see my miseries and help me. 
“ Virgin most merciful, pray for us.” 


MEDITATION V. 

Virgo fidelis. “ Virgin most faithful.”— 
Blessed is he who by his prayers watches by the 
gate of Mary, as the poor wait at the door of the 
rich to obtain relief. Blessed is the man , Mary 
says, that heareth me, and that watcheth daily at my 
gates. (Prov. viii. 34.) 0 that we were as faith¬ 

ful to serve this divine Mother as she is faithful to 
relieve us when we pray to her! Mary promises 
that all who serve and honor her shall be free from 
sin and obtain eternal life: They that work by me 
shall not sin. They that explain me shall have life 
everlasting. (Ecclus. xxiv. 30.) She invites all to 
have recourse to her, and promises them every 
grace that they desire: In me is all grace of the 
way and of the truth; in me is all hope of life and 
of virtue; come over to me, all ye that desire me. 
(Ih. 25.) St. -Laurence Justinian applies to 
Mary that other text of Ecclesiasticus, her bands 
are a healthful binding (Ecclus. vi. 31); and then 
adds, “ wherefore bands, unless to hind her ser- 


Meditations on the Litany. 


217 


vants, that they may not stray in the fields of 
sin.” Mary binds her servants that they may 
not give themselves too much liberty, which 
would cause their ruin. 

0 Mother of God, in thee do I place all my 
confidence; thou must preserve me from falling 
any more into sin. My Lady, abandon me not, 
obtain me the grace rather to die than to lose 
the grace of God. 


ii. 

Causa nostrce Icetitice. “ Cause of our joy.”— 
As the dawn is a cause of joy after the darkness 
and gloom of night, so was the birth of Mary, 
who is our dawn, a cause of joy to the world 
which, before the coming of Jesus Christ, had 
been for four thousand years immersed in the 
darkness of sin. A holy Father says “ that in 
the birth of Mary the dawn appeared.” The 
dawn is the forerunner of the sun, and Mary was 
the precursor of the Incarnate Word, the Sun of 
Justice, the Eedeemer, who, by his death, deliv¬ 
ered us from eternal death. With reason the 
Church sings, on the Nativity of Mary, “ Thy 
birth, 0 holy Mother of God, announced joy to 
the whole world.” And as Mary was the begin¬ 
ning of our joy, so she is also its completion; for 
St. Bernard says “ that Jesus Christ deposited 


218 


Practices of Devotion. 


the whole price of our redemption in the hands 
of Mary; that every grace which we receive, we 
may receive it from her.” 

0 Mother of God, thou art my joy and my 
hope; for thou deniest thy graces to no one, and 
thou obtainest all that thou wiliest from God. 

hi. 

Vas insigne devotionis. “ Vessel of singular 
devotion.” —Devotion, as St. Thomas teaches, 
consists in the readiness with which our will con¬ 
forms itself to the will of God. This was the 
principal virtue which rendered his most holy 
Mother so dear to God. That flower which 
always turns towards the sun is a real type of 
Mary. The divine will was alone the aim and 
satisfaction of the heart of Mary; as she herself 
proclaimed: My spirit hath rejoiced in God my 
Saviour. 

0 blessed art thou my Lady, who wast always, 
and in all, united to the divine will. Obtain for 
me the grace to spend the rest of my life in con¬ 
stant conformity to the will of God. 

iv. 

Turris eburnea. “ Tower of Ivory.” —Thus 
is Mary also called, Thy neck is as a tower'of ivory. 
(Cant. vii. 4.) Mary is called a neck, for she is 
the mystic neck through which the vital spirits. 


Meditations on the Litany. 


219 


that is, the divine help which preserves in ns the 
life of grace, are transmitted from Jesus Christ 
the Head to us the faithful, who are members of 
the mystic body of the Church. St. Bernardine 
sa}^s: “The life-giving graces flow from Christ 
the Head, through the Blessed Virgin, into his 
mystic body.” The saint then adds “ that from 
the time w T hen Mary conceived the Incarnate 
Word, she received the great honor from God 
that no one should receive any grace otherwise 
than through her hands.” In fine, ivory is greatly 
esteemed and is strong. Hence the Abbot Ru¬ 
pert w r rites of Mary “ that as a tower of ivory 
she is beloved by God and terrible to the devil.” 

Then, 0 my sovereign Lady, because thou art 
so beloved of God, thou canst obtain us every 
grace; and because thou art terrible to the evil 
spirits, thou canst deliver us from all their snares. 
Have mercy on us, who glory in living under thy 
protection. 


MEDITATION VI. 

i. 

Domus aurea. “ House of Gold.”— Gold is a 
symbol of love. Therefore Blessed Albert the 
Great calls Mary “ a golden temple of charity.” 
And with reason; for St. Thomas says that “ as 


220 


Practices of Devotion. 


all in the Temple was covered with gold, so was 
everything in the beautiful soul of Mary filled 
with sanctity/’ Mary was the house of gold 
which Eternal Wisdom, that is, the divine Word, 
chose for his dwelling on earth: Wisdom hath built 
herself a house. (Prov. ix. 1.) “ This House of 

gold/’ says Eichard of St. Laurence, “ is so rich 
that it can relieve all our wants.” 

0 Mary, thou lovest God so much, and there¬ 
fore thou desirest to see him loved by all. This 
is the grace which above all others I ask of thee, 
and which I hope from thee; obtain me great 
love for God. 


MEDITATION VII. 

i. 

Rosa mystica. “Mystical Kose.” —Of Mary 
it is said in the sacred Canticles that she was the 
enclosed Garden of God: My sister, my spouse, is 
a garden enclosed. (Cant. iv. 12.) St. Bernard 
writes “that Our Lord planted all the flowers 
which adorn the Church in this garden; and 
amongst others the violet of humility, the lily of 
purity, and the rose of charity.” “ A rose is red, 
and of a fiery color,” says Blessed Eaymond Jor- 
dano, “which denotes love of God and of our neigh¬ 
bor; ” therefore on account of the ardent love 


Meditations on the Litany. 


221 


with which the heart of Mary was always inflamed 
towards God and us, she is called a rose. And 
where can we find an advocate who is more ear¬ 
nest in the affair of our salvation, or who loves 
us more than Mary? “We acknowledge,” says 
St. Augustine of her, “ that one alone is solici¬ 
tous for us in heaven.” 

0 my dear Mother, could I but love thee as 
thou lovest me! 1 will not, however, cease to do 
all that I can to honor and love thee. My most 
sweet Lady, do thou obtain for me grace to be 
faithful to thee. 


n. 

Turris Davidica. “ Tower of David.” —Mary 
is called in the sacred Canticles the Tower of 
David: Tliy neck is as the tower of David; a 
thousand bucklers hang upon it; all the armor of 
valiant men. (Cant. iv. 4.) St. Bernardine says 
that the tower of David stood on high, that is, on 
Sion; therefore Mary is called the tower of David 
to denote the height of the perfection of this 
great creature: “As Sion was a very elevated spot, 
so was the Blessed Virgin most exalted.” There¬ 
fore of Mary it is said in the Psalms that the 
very beginning of her sanctity was more exalted 
than the mountains: The foundations thereof are 
in the holy mountains (Ps. lxxxvi. 1). St. Gregory 


222 


Practices of Devotion. 


explains it to mean that the divine Mother was 
more holy in the first moment of her life than 
any of the saints were at the moment of their 
death. 

Ah, my Queen and Mother, I rejoice in thy 
greatness, and am willing rather to sacrifice my 
life than that thy glory should be diminished in 
the least degree, were such a thing possible. 0 
that I could only by shedding every drop of my 
blood cause all nations of the earth to adore thee 
and love thee as the great Lady which thou art! 

hi. 

Foederis area. “Ark of the Covenant.”— 
Hesychius calls Mary “ an ark more spacious 
than that of Noe; ” for in the ark of Noe only 
two animals of every kind were received, but 
under the mantle of Mary the just and sinners 
find place. The Blessed Virgin herself said to 
St. Bridget, “ However much a man may have 
sinned, if he returns to me with a real purpose 
of amendment, I am ready at once to receive him; 
neither do I pay attention to the sins with which 
he is laden; but only to the good disposition in 
which he comes; and then I do not disdain to 
anoint and heal his wounds, for I am called and 
truly am the Mother of mercy.” 

0 Mother of mercy, will I then say to thee, in 


Meditations on the Litany. 


223 


the words of St. Bernard, “ Remember that it 
has never been heard of in any age that any sin¬ 
ner who had recourse to thee was rejected by 
thee.” I, a miserable sinner, have recourse to 
thee and trust in thee. 


IY. 

Janua cceli. “Gate of Heaven.” —Mary is 
called the “ Gate of Heaven,” because, as St. 
Bonaventure declares, “ no one can enter heaven 
unless by Mary, as through a door.” Our Queen 
says: My power is in Jerusalem. (Ecclus. xxiv. 
15.) Bichard of St. Laurence adds: “Command¬ 
ing what I will and introducing whom I will,” I 
can obtain whatever I please for my clients, and 
introduce all whom I please into paradise. 
Hence St. Bonaventure writes that “ those who 
enjoy the favor of Mary are recognized by the 
citizens of heaven; and those who bear her stamp, 
that is, have the grace to be her servants, are 
inscribed in the Book of Life.” For this reason 
Bernardine de Bustis calls Mary “ the Book of 
Life,” and says that whoever, by this devotion, is 
written in this book is certain to be saved. 

Ah, my Mother, in thee do I repose my hope 
of eternal salvation. I love thee; do thou save 
me; never allow a servant of thine who loves thee 
to go to blaspheme thee in hell. 


224 


Practices of Devotion. 


MEDITATION VIII. 

i. 

Stella matutina. “Morning Star."—S t. John 
Damascene calls Mary “ the Star which indicates 
the rising of the sun." As the morning star pre¬ 
cedes the sun, so does devotion towards the most 
blessed Virgin precede the sun of divine grace; 
for St. Germanus says that “ devotion in a soul 
towards Mary is a sign either that it is already 
in a state of grace, or that it will very soon be so." 
Our Lady is also called “ the Star of the Sea " by 
the Church; for, as St. Thomas explains it, “ as 
mariners, in tempestuous weather, are guided by 
the f star of the sea into port, so are souls guided 
by Mary over the sea of this world into paradise." 
Hence St. Bernard warns us, saying: “ If you do 
not wish to be lost in the storm of temptations, 
turn not your eyes from this star of salvation." 
He then continues: “ If you follow Mary, you will 
not go astray; if Mary protects you, you cannot 
fear to be lost; if Mary favors you, you will reach 
paradise." 

ii. 

Salus inftrmorum. “ Health of the Weak." 
—Mary is called by St. Simon Stock “ the medi¬ 
cine of sinners;" and by St. Ephrem not only 


Meditations on the Litany. 


225 


medicine, but health itself: “ Robust health for 
those who have recourse to her.” Hence those 
who have recourse to Mary not only find in her a 
remedy, but health itself; and this she herself 
promises to all who seek her: He that shall find 
me shall find life, and shall have salvation from the 
Lord. (Prov. viii. 35.) Neither let us fear that, 
on account of the bad odor of our wounds, she 
may refuse to take care of us: she is our Mother; 
and as a mother does not shrink from dressing 
the wound of her child, neither does this celes¬ 
tial physician refuse to hear servants who have 
recourse to her. Wherefore St. Bernard says: 

“ 0 Mother of God, thou dost not disdain a 
sinner, however loathsome he may be: if he sends 
up his sighs to thee, thou wilt deliver him with 
thine own hand from despair.” 

hi. 

Refugium peccatorum. “ Refuge of Sinners.” 
—Thus is Mary called by St. Germanus; he says, 
“ She is the ever-ready refuge of sinners.” Yes, 
of all sinners; for, as the Abbot of Celles says, 
“ she can despise no sinner, but receives all, and 
welcomes all, the moment they have recourse to 
her.” Hence St. John Damascene affirms that 
Mary is not only the refuge of the innocent, but 
also of the wicked, who implore her protection: 



226 


Practices of Devotion. 


“ I am a city of refuge to all who fly to me/’ 
Therefore St. Bona venture says to her: “Thou 
embraces! with maternal affection a sinner who 
is even despised by the whole world, nor dost 
thou cease thine embrace until thou hast recon¬ 
ciled him with his judge.” By this the saint 
gives us to understand that a sinner being hated 
by God is also odious and abominable to all crea¬ 
tures; but if he has recourse to Mary, the refuge 
of sinners, not only she does not despise him, but 
embraces him with affection, and does not leave 
him until her Son Jesus Christ, who is our Judge, 
has forgiven him. 

Since, then, 0 my Lady, thou art the refuge 
of all sinners, thou art also my refuge. Thou, 
who despisest no one who has recourse to thee, 
despise me not, who recommend myself to thee: 
“ Refuge of sinners, pray for us.” 0 Mary, pr^ay 
for us, and save us. 

MEDITATION IX. 

i. 

Consolatrix afflictorum. “ Comfortress of the 
afflicted.”— St. Germanus says: “ 0 Mary, who, 
after thy Son, is as solicitous for the whole 
human race as thou art? who protects us in our 
trials as thou dost? ” Who, 0 Mary, watches 



Meditations on the Litany. 


227 


over our interests as thou dost? who is solicitous 
as thou art for us in our afflictions? “ No,” re¬ 
plies St. Antoninus; “no saint can be found who 
compassionates us in our miseries as does this 
most tender Lady, the Blessed Virgin Mary.” 
And as the miseries which afflict us the most are 
disorders of the soul. Blessed Henry Suso calls 
Mary “ the most faithful comfortress of sinners.” 
We need only show Mary the wounds of our souls, 
and she immediately helps us by her prayers, and 
consoles us. Nay, even as Richard of St. Victor 
writes, her compassion anticipates our wants, and 
she relieves us before we invoke her. Let us 
say, then, with St. Bonaventure: 

“ 0 Mary, console us always, hut especially at 
the hour of our death: come at that last hour and 
receive our souls, and present them thyself to 
thy Son, who will judge us.” 

ii. 

Auxilium Cliristianorum. “ Help of Chris¬ 
tians.” —St. John Damascene calls Mary “ the 
prepared and always ready help of Christians, by 
which they are delivered from dangers.” The 
help of Mary is, as St. Cosmas of Jerusalem 
writes, “ all-powerful to deliver us from sin and 
hell.” St. Bernard, addressing Mary, says: 
“ Thou art an invincible warrior in defence of 


228 


Practices of Devotion. 


thy servants, fighting against the devils who as¬ 
sail them.” For this reason she is called an 
army in the sacred Canticles: thou art . . . ter¬ 
rible as an army set in array. (Cant. vi. 3.) 

Ah, my Queen, had I always had recourse to 
thee, I should never have been conquered by my 
enemies; henceforth thou shalt be my strength: 
in my temptations I will always have recourse to 
thee; from thee do I hope for victory. 

hi. 

Regina Martyrum. “ Queen of Martyrs.”— 
With reason is Mary called the Queen of mar¬ 
tyrs, for her martyrdom in the death of her Son 
on the cross exceeded the sufferings of all the 
martyrs. There stood by the cross of Jesus his 
Mother. (John xix. 25.) Mothers fly from their 
children when they see them dying and are un¬ 
able to help them. Mary did not fly, but re¬ 
mained with Jesus until she saw him expire. 
She stood by the cross, and whilst Jesus was in his 
agony she offered the life of her Son to the Eter¬ 
nal Father for our salvation; but in doing so she 
also was in an agony, and experienced a torment 
greater than any death. 

0 my afflicted Mother, be graciously pleased, 
by the merit of the sorrows which thou didst en¬ 
dure at the foot of the cross, to obtain for me 


Meditations on the Litany. 


229 


true sorrow for my sins and love for Jesus my 
Redeemer; and by the sword which transpierced 
thy heart when thou didst see him how down 
his head and expire, I beseech thee to help me 
at the hour of my death, and then to obtain me 
eternal salvation, that I may love thee with thy 
Jesus forever. 


THE FEASTS OF MARY AND THEIR 
APPROPRIATE DEVOTIONS. 


THE FEAST OF THE IMMACULATE 
CONCEPTION. 

(December 8th.) 

HISTORICAL EXPLANATION. 

A record of this feast is found in the office 
of the Greek Church as far back as 406. It was 
then celebrated on December 9th. The Latin 
Church began to celebrate it about the middle 
of the eighth century. In the year 1047 it was 
kept as a holy day in England, and Anselm, 
Bishop of Canterbury, ordered its celebration in 
his diocese. At first its celebration was left to 
the choice of the people, but later a Council in 
London, in 1328, ordered it to be solemnly kept. 
About the same time its celebration was begun in 
France. In Germany St. Norbertus is said to 
have been the most fervent promoter of the cele- 
230 



The Feast of the Immaculate Conception . 231 

bration of this feast. Finally, in the year 1476, 
Pope Sixtus IV. issued two bulls in which he 
ordered the whole Church to celebrate the feast 
and had an office composed for it, but he did not 
make it a universal holy day. Clement VIII. 
made of it a feast of the second class; Clement 
IX. added the octave to its celebration; and 
Clement XI. raised it to a holy day of obligation. 
Pius V. enriched it with many indulgences, and 
Pius IX., at a Council held in Rome on December 
8, 1854, at which over tw r o hundred bishops and 
prelates Avere present from all parts of the world, 
declared the mystery of the Immaculate Concep¬ 
tion of the Blessed Virgin Mary to be one of the 
articles of faith of the Holy Catholic Church. 

NOVENA FOR THE FEAST OF THE 
IMMACULATE CONCEPTION. 

(Novena begins November 29th and ends 
December 7th.) 

AT THE BEGINNING OF THE NOVENA. 

Come, Holy Ghost, fill the hearts of Thy faith¬ 
ful and kindle in them the fire of Thy love. 

V. Send forth Thy Spirit and they shall be 
created. 

R. And Thou shalt renew the face of the 
earth. 


232 


Practices of Devotion. 


Let us Pray. 

0 God, Who hast taught the hearts of Thy 
faithful people by the light of Thy Holy Spirit, 
grant us, in the same Spirit, to relish what is 
right and evermore to rejoice in his holy comfort. 
Through Christ Our Lord. 

R. Amen. 

PREPARATORY PRAYER FOR EVERY DAY OF THE ' 
NOVENA. 

Virgin most pure, conceived without sin, from 
the first moment of thy conception fair and stain¬ 
less; glorious Mary, full of grace, Mother of my 
God, Queen of angels and of men! I humbly 
venerate thee as the Mother of my Saviour, who, 
though he was God, taught me by his own ven¬ 
eration, reverence, and obedience to thee the 
honor and homage that I owe thee. Vouchsafe, 
I pray thee, to accept the novena which I dedi¬ 
cate to thee. Thou art the safe refuge of the 
penitent sinner; fit, then, it is that I should have 
recourse to thee. Thou art the Mother of mercy; 
will not, then, my miseries so manifold move thee 
to compassion? Mary, my sole hope after Jesus, 
thou canst not but accept the loving trust which 
I have in thee; make me worthy to be called thy 
son, that with confidence I may cry to thee: Show 
thyself a mother. 


The Feast of the Immaculate Conception. 233 

Say the “ Hail Mary ” nine times and the “ Glory 
be to the Father ” once, then the prayer for the day. 

First Day. 

Lo, at thy sacred feet I bow, Virgin immacu¬ 
late, the while my heart overflows with joy in union 
with thy own, because from eternity thou wast the 
Mother-elect of the Eternal Word and wast pre¬ 
served stainless from the taint of Adam’s sin. 
Forever praised, forever blessed be the Most Holy 
Trinity, who in thy conception poured out upon 
thy soul the riches of that matchless privilege. 
I humbly pray thee, gracious Mother, obtain for 
me the grace to overcome the bitter results of 
original sin. Ah, yes! make me victorious over 
them, that I may never cease to love my God. 

Then say the Litany of the Blessed Virgin or else: 

V. All fair art thou, 0 Mary! 

R. All fair art thou, 0 Mary! 

V. The original stain is not in thee. 

R. The original stain is not in thee. 

V. Thou art the glory of Jerusalem. 

R. Thou art the joy of Israel. 

V. Thou art the honor of our people. 

R. Thou art the advocate of sinners. 

V. 0 Mary! 

R. 0 Mary! 

V. Virgin most prudent. 


234 


Practices of Devotion. 


R. Mother most tender. 

V. Pray for us. 

R. Intercede for us with Our Lord Jesus 
'Christ. 

After the Litany or the above hymn say as follows: 

V. In thy conception, Virgin, thou wast im¬ 
maculate. 

R. Pray for us to the Father, whose Son was 
born of thee. 

Let us Pray. 

0 God, who through the immaculate concep¬ 
tion of the Virgin didst prepare a worthy dwell¬ 
ing-place for Thy divine Son, grant that as in 
view of the death of that Son Thou didst preserve 
her from all taints, so Thou would vouchsafe 
unto us that, cleansed from all sin by her inter¬ 
cession, we too may arrive at Thine eternal glory. 

0 God, the Pastor and Euler of all the faith¬ 
ful, graciously look upon Thy servant [N.], whom 
Thou hast set over Thy holy Church; grant him, 
we beseech Thee, by word and example so to 
direct those over whom Thou hwt placed him 
that, together with the flock thou hast entrusted 
to his care, he may attain eternal life. 

0 God, our refuge and strength, who art the 
source of all piety, hearken to the pious prayers of 
Thy Church and grant that what we ask in faith 


The Feast of the Immaculate Conception. 235 

we may in deed obtain. Through Christ Our 
Lord. Amen. 

The same order is to be observed on all the other 
days of the novena, only the prayer for the day being 
changed. 

Second Day. 

Mary, unsullied lily of heavenly purity, I re¬ 
joice with thee because from thy conception’s 
earliest dawn thou wast full of grace and endowed 
with the perfect use of reason. I thank and I 
ever adore the Ever-blessed Trinity, who gave 
thee these high gifts. I am overwhelmed with 
shame in thy presence to see myself so poor in 
grace. 0 thou who wast filled with heavenly 
grace, impart some portion of it to my soul, and 
make me share the treasures of thy immaculate 
conception. 

Litany, etc., as on first day. 

Third Day. 

Mary, thou mystical rose of purity, my heart 
rejoices with thine at the glorious triumph which 
thou didst gain over the infernal serpent by thy 
immaculate conception, and because thou wast 
conceived without stain of original sin. I thank 
and praise with my whole heart the Ever-blessed 
Trinity, who granted thee this glorious privilege, 


236 


Practices of Devotion. 


and I pray thee to obtain for me strength to over¬ 
come all the wiles of the infernal foe and never 
to stain my soul with sin. Be thou mine, and 
make me, by thy protection, victorious over the 
common foe of our eternal welfare. 

Litany, etc. 

Fourth Day. 

Mirror of holy purity, Mary, Virgin immacu¬ 
late, great is my joy while I consider that from 
thy immaculate conception the most sublime and 
perfect virtues were infused into thy soul, and 
with them all the gifts of the Holy Ghost. I 
thank and praise the Most Holy Trinity, who be¬ 
stowed on thee these high privileges. I pray 
thee, gentle Mother, obtain for me grace to prac¬ 
tise virtue, and so make me worthy to become 
partaker of the gifts and graces of the Holy 
Ghost. 

Litany, etc. 

Fifth Day. 

Mary, bright moon of purity, I rejoice with 
thee because the mystery of thy immaculate con¬ 
ception was the beginning of salvation for the 
race of man and the joy of the whole world. I 
thank and bless the Ever-blessed Trinity, who 
.thus did magnify and glorify thee; and I beg of 
thee to obtain for me the grace so to profit by 


The Feast of the Immaculate Conception. 237 

thy dear Son’s death and Passion that his 
precious blood may not have been shed in vain 
for me upon the cross, but that, after a holy life, 
I may reach heaven in safety. 

Litany, etc. 

Sixth Day. 

Mary immaculate, most brilliant star of purity, 
I rejoice with thee because thy immaculate con¬ 
ception has bestowed upon the angels in paradise 
the greatest joy. I thank and bless the Ever- 
blessed Trinity, who enriched thee with this 
high privilege. Oh! let me, too, one day enter 
into this heavenly joy in the company of angels, 
that I may praise and bless thee, world without 
end. 

Litany, etc. 

Seventh Day. 

Mary immaculate, rising morn of purity, I re¬ 
joice with thee, gazing in wonder upon thy soul 
confirmed in grace from the very first moment of 
thy conception and rendered inaccessible to sin. 
I thank and magnify the Ever-blessed Trinity, 
who chose thee from all our race for this special 
privilege. Holy Virgin, obtain for me utter and 
constant hatred of all sin above every other evil, 
and let me rather die than ever again fall into sin. 

Litany, etc. 


238 


Practices of Devotion. 


Eighth Day. 

0 spotless Sun, 0 Virgin Mary! I congratulate 
thee. I rejoice with thee because in thy con¬ 
ception God gave thee grace greater and more 
boundless than he ever shed on all his angels 
and all the saints, together with all their merits. 
I thank and marvel at the surpassing beneficence 
of the Ever-blessed Trinity, who conferred on 
thee this privilege. Oh! make me to correspond 
with the grace of God and never abuse it. 
Change this heart of mine; make me now begin 
to amend my life. 

Litany, etc. 


Ninth Day. 

0 living light of holiness, model of purity, 
Mary, immaculate Virgin and Mother! as soon as 
thou wast conceived thou didst profoundly adore 
thy God, giving him thanks that in thee the an¬ 
cient curse was revoked, and blessing came again 
upon the sinful sons of Adam. Oh! make this 
blessing kindle in my heart love for God, and do 
thou fan this flame of love within me, that I may 
love him constantly, and one day in heaven eter¬ 
nally enjoy him, there to thank him more and 
more fervently for all the wondrous privileges 


The Feast of the Immaculate Conception. 239 

conferred on thee, and to rejoice with thee for 
thy high crown of glory. 

Litany, etc. 

For making the above novena an indulgence of 
three hundred days every day, and a plenary in¬ 
dulgence on any day of the novena or the eight days 
following it.—Pius IX., Jan. 5, 1849, Jan. 28, 1850, 
Nov. 26, 1876. 

MEDITATIONS FOR THE FEAST. 

i. 

It was indeed becoming that the three divine 
Persons should preserve Mary from original sin. 

It was becoming that the Father should do so,, 
because Mary was his first-born daughter. As 
Jesus was the first-born of God, the first-born of 
every creature (Col. i. 15), so also was Mary, the 
destined Mother of God, always considered by 
him as his first-born daughter by adoption, and 
therefore he always possessed her by his grace: 
The Lord possessed yie in the beginning of his 
waps. (Prov. viii. 22.) For the honor, therefore, 
of his Son, it was, becoming that the Father 
should preserve his Mother from every stain of 
sin. It was also becoming that he should do so 
because he destined this his daughter to crush 
the head of the infernal serpent, who had seduced 
man, as we read in Genesis, she shall crush thy 
head. (Gen. iii. 15.) How, then, could he per- 


240 


Practices of Devotion. 


mit that she should first be the slave of this 
infernal serpent? Moreover, Mary was also 
destined to become the advocate of sinners; there¬ 
fore it was also becoming that God should pre¬ 
serve her from sin, that she might not appear 
guilty of the same fault as men for whom she was 
to intercede. 


ii. 

It was becoming that the Son should have an 
immaculate Mother. He himself chose Mary for 
his Mother. It is impossible to believe that a 
son who could have a queen for his mother would 
choose a slave. How, then, can we imagine that 
the Eternal Word, who could have an ever- 
immaculate Mother, and one who had always 
been a friend of God, would have one defiled by 
sin, and at one time the enemy of God? More¬ 
over, as an ancient author says, “ the flesh of 
Christ is the flesh of Mary.” The Son of God 
would have felt horror to have taken flesh of a 
St. Agnes, a St. Gertrude, or of a St. Teresa, be¬ 
cause these holy virgins were defiled by sin before 
baptism; and therefore the devil could then have 
reproached him with being clothed with flesh 
which had once been subject to him. But as 
Mary was always pure and immaculate, Our Lord 
felt no horror at becoming man in her chaste 


The Feast of the Immaculate Conception. 241 

womb. Besides, St. Thomas says that “Mary 
was preserved from every actual sin, even 
venial; ” for otherwise she would not have been 
a becoming Mother of God; but how much less 
w r ould she have been so had she been defiled by 
original sin, which renders the soul hateful to 
God? 

hi. 

It was becoming the Holy Ghost that this his 
most beloved spouse should be immaculate. As 
men who had already fallen into sin were to be 
redeemed, he willed that this his spouse should 
be redeemed in a more noble way; that is, by 
being preserved from falling into sin. And since 
God preserved the body of Mary after her death, 
how much more should we believe that he pre¬ 
served her soul from the corruption of sin?- 
Hence the divine Spouse calls her in the sacred 
Canticles an enclosed garden, a sealed fountain; 
for an enemy never entered the blessed soul of 
Mary. Therefore he praised her, calling her all 
beautiful, always his friend, and all pure: Tliou 
art all fair, 0 my love, and there is not a spot in 
thee. (Cant. iv. 7.) 

Example. 

A woman came to a house of the Redemptorist 
Fathers in Naples to let one of the Fathers know 
that her husband had not been to confession for 


242 


Practices of Devotion. 


many years, and the poor creature could no longer 
tell by what means to bring him to his duty; for if 
she named confession to him he beat her. The 
Father told her to give him a picture of Mary Im¬ 
maculate. In the evening the woman once more 
begged her husband to go to confession; but he as 
usual turned a deaf ear to her entreaties. She gave 
him the picture. Behold! he had scarcely received 
it, when he said: “Well, when will you take me to 
confession? for I am willing to go.” The wife, on 
seeing this instantaneous change, began to weep for 
joy. In the morning he really went to church, 
and when the Father asked him how long it was 
since he had been to confession, he answered, 
“ Twenty-eight years.” The Father again asked 
him what had induced him to come that morning. 
“Father,” he said, “I was obstinate; but last night 
my wife gave me a picture of our blessed Lady, and 
in the same moment I felt my heart changed, so 
much so that during the whole night every moment 
seemed a thousand years, so great was my desire to 
go to confession.” lie then confessed his sins with 
great contrition, changed his life, and continued for 
a long time to go frequently to confession to the 
same Father. 

Prayer. 

Ah, my most beautiful Lady, I rejoice in seeing 
thee by thy purity and thy beauty so dear to God. 
I thank God for having preserved thee from every 
stain. My Queen, since thou art so loved by the 
Most Holy Trinity, disdain not to cast thine eyes on 
my soul, which is so defiled by sin, that, seeing it, 
thou mayest obtain for me pardon and eternal sal¬ 
vation from God. Behold me, and change me. 
Thou, by thy sweetness, hast drawn so many hearts 
to thy love, draw also my heart, that henceforward 


The Feast of the Immaculate Conception. 243 

it may love no other than God and thee. Thou well 
knpwest that I have placed all my hopes in Thee, 
my dear Mother; abandon me not. Help me always 
with thine intercession in life, and especially at the 
hour of my death; grant that I may die invoking 
and loving thee, that I may love thee forever in 
paradise. 

LITTLE CHAPLET OF THE IMMACULATE 
CONCEPTION. 

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and 
of the Holy Ghost. Amen. 

Blessed be the holy and immaculate conception 
of the most blessed Virgin Mary. 

Our Father, once. Hail Mary, four times . 
Glory be to the Father, once. 

Repeat the above three times. 

Indulgence of three hundred days every time. A 
plenary indulgence once a month to all who shall 
have said this chaplet every day for a month on the 
day when, being truly penitent, they shall go to con¬ 
fession and Communion.—Pius IX., June 22, 1855. 

PRAYER TO OBTAIN PURITY. 

Hail Mary, etc. 

My Queen, my Mother! I give myself entirely 
to thee, and to show my devotion to thee I conse¬ 
crate to thee this day my eyes, my ears, my mouth, 
my heart, my whole being, without reserve. 
Wherefore, good Mother, as I am thine own, keep 
me, guard me as thy property and possession. 


244 


Practices of Devotion. 


Indulgence of one hundred days once a day. A 
plenary indulgence once a month to all those who 
have said this prayer daily for a month.—Pius IX., 
Aug. 5, 1851. 

AN ACT OF FAITH IN' THE IMMACULATE 
CONCEPTION. 

Holy Mary, Mother of God, I firmly believe in 
thy immaculate conception; I bless God for hav¬ 
ing granted thee this glorious privilege; I thank 
him a thousand times for having taught it to me 
by the infallible voice of the Church. Receive 
my heart, 0 immaculate Virgin! I give it up to 
thee without reserve; purify it, guard it, never 
give it back to me. Preserve it in thy love and 
in the love of Jesus during time and eternity. 

LITTLE OFFICE OF THE IMMACULATE 
CONCEPTION. 

AT MATINS. 

Come, my lips, and wide proclaim 
The Blessed Virgin’s spotless fame. 

V. 0 Lady, make speed to befriend me. 

R. From the hands of the enemy mightily de¬ 
fend me. 

V. Glory be to the Father, etc. Alleluia. 

From Septuagesima to Easter, instead of Al¬ 
leluia, is said: 


Office of the Immaculate Conception. 245 

Praise be to Thee, 0 Lord, King of everlasting 
glory. 


Hymn. 

Hail, Queen of the heavens! 

Hail, Mistress of earth! 

Hail, virgin most pure 
Of immaculate birth! 

Clear star of the morning. 

In beauty enshrined! 

0 Lady, make speed 
To the help of mankind. 

Thee God in the depth 
Of eternity chose. 

And formed thee all fair. 

As his glorious spouse; 

And called thee his Word’s 
Own Mother to be 
By whom he created 
The earth, sky, and sea. Amen. 

V. God elected her, and preelected her. 

R. He made her to dwell in his tabernacle. 
V. 0 Lady, aid my prayer. 

R. And let my cry come unto thee. 


246 


Practices of Devotion. 


Let us Pray. 

Holy Mary, Queen of heaven, Mother of Our 
Lord Jesus Christ, and Mistress of the world, who 
forsakest no one, and despisest no one: look upon 
me, 0 Lady, with an eye of pity, and entreat for 
me, of thy beloved Son, the forgiveness of all 
my sins; that, as I now celebrate with devout 
affection thy holy and immaculate conception, so, 
hereafter, I may receive the prize of eternal 
blessedness, by the grace of him whom thou, in 
virginity, didst bring forth, Jesus Christ Our 
Lord: who, with the Father and the Holy Ghost, 
liveth and reigneth, in perfect trinity, God, world 
without end. Amen. 

V. 0 Lady, aid my prayer. 

R. And let my cry come unto thee. 

V. Let us bless the Lord. 

R. Thanks be to God. 

V. May the souls of the faithful departed, 
through the mercy of God, rest in peace. 

R. Amen. 


AT PRIME. 

V. 0 Lady, make speed to befriend me. 

R. From the hands of the enemy mightily de¬ 
fend me. 

V. Glory be to the Father, etc. Alleluia. 


Office of the Immaculate Conception. 247 


Hymn. 

Hail, Virgin most wise. 

Hail, Deity^s shrine! 

With seven fair pillars/ 

And table divine! 

Preserved from the guilt 
Which hath come on us all! 

Exempt, in the womb, 

From the taint of the fall! 

0 new star of Jacob, 

Of angels the queen! 

0 gate of the saints! 

0 mother of men! 

To Zabulon fearful 
As th’ embattled array! 

Be thou of the faithful 
The refuge and stay. Amen. 

V. The Lord himself created her in the Holy 
Ghost. 

R. And poured her out over all his works. 

V. 0 Lady, aid, etc. (with the prayer as above). 

AT TIEBCE. 

0 Lady, make speed, etc. 


248 Practices of Devotion. 

Hymn. 

Hail, Solomon’s throne! 

Pure ark of the law! 

Fair rainbow and bush. 

Which the patriarch saw! 

Hail, Gedeon’s fleece! 

Hail, blossoming rod! 

Samson’s sweet honey-comb! 

Portal of God! 

Well fitting it was 
That a Son so divine 
Should preserve from all touch 
Of original sin, 

Nor suffer by smallest 

Defect to be stained 

That Mother, whom he 

For himself had ordained. Amen. 

V. I dwell in the highest. 

R. And my throne is on the pillar of the clouds. 
V. 0 Lady, aid, etc. (with the prayer as above). 

AT SEXT. 

0 Lady, make speed, etc. 


Office of the Immaculate Conception. 249 


Hymn. 

Hail, virginal Mother! 

Hail, purity’s cell! 

Fair shrine, where the Trinity 
Loveth to dwell! 

Hail, garden of pleasure! 

Celestial balm! 

Cedar of chastity! 

Martyrdom’s palm! 

Thou land set apart 
From uses profane! 

And free from the curse 
Which in Adam began! 

Thou city of Cod! 

Thou gate of the east! 

In thee is all grace, 

0 joy of the blest. Amen. 

V. As the lily among the thorns. 

R. So is my beloved among the daughters of 
Adam. 

V. 0 Lady, aid, etc. (with the prayer as above). 

AT NpNE. 

0 Lady, make speed, etc. 


250 Practices of Devotion. 

Hymn. 

Hail, city of refuge! 

Hail, David’s high tower, 

With battlements crowned 
And girded with power! 

Filled at thy conception 
With love and with light! 

The dragon by thee 
Was shorn of his might. 

0 woman most valiant! 

0 Judith thrice blest! 

As David was nursed 
In fair Abisag’s breast; 

As the savior of Egypt 
Upon Rachel’s knee; 

So the world’s great Redeemer 
Was cherished by thee. Amen. 

• V. Thou art all fair, my beloved. 

R. And the original stain was never in thee. 
V. 0 Lady, aid, etc. {with the prayer as above). 

AT VESPERS. 

0 Lady, make speed, etc. 


Office of the Immaculate Conception . 251 


Hymn. 

Hail, dial of Achaz! 

On thee the true sun 
Told backward the course 
Which from old he had run! 

And, that man might be raised. 
Submitting to shame, 

A little more low 
Than the angels became. 

Thou, rapt in the blaze 
Of his infinite light, 

Dost shine as the morn 
On the confines of night; 

As the moon on the lost 
Through obscurity dawns; 

The serpent’s destroyer, 

A lily ’mid thorns! Amen. 

V. I made an unfailing light to arise in heaven. 
R. And as a mist’ I overspread the whole earth. 
V. 0 Lady, aid, etc. (with the prayer as above). 

AT COMPLINE. 

May Jesus Christ, thy Son, reconciled by thy 
prayers, 0 Lady, convert our hearts. 


252 


Practices of Devotion. 


R. And turn away his anger from us. 

V. 0 Lady, make speed to befriend me. 

R. From the hands of the enemy mightily de¬ 
fend me. 

V. Glory be to the Father, etc. 

Hymn. 

Hail, Mother most pure! 

Hail, Virgin renowned! 

Hail, Queen with the stars. 

As a diadem, crowned. 

Above all the angels 
In glory untold, 

Standing next to the King 
In a vesture of gold. 

0 Mother of mercy! 

O Star of the wave! 

0 Hope of the guilty! 

0 Light of the grave! 

Through thee may we come 
To the haven of rest; 

And see heaven’s King 

In the courts of the blest! Amen. 

V. Thy name, 0 Mary, is as oil poured out. 

R. Thy servants have loved thee exceedingly. 


Office of the Immaculate Conception. 25J 

V. 0 Lady, aid, etc. (with the prayers and versi- 
cles as above). 

These praises and prayers 
I lay at thy feet, 

0 Virgin of virgins! 

0 Mary most sweet! 

Be thou my true guide 
Through this pilgrimage here. 

And stand by my side 
When death draweth near. 

B. Thanks be to God. 

PRAYEES WHICH MAY BE SAID AFTER THE OFFICE 
OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION. 

Thou art all fair. And the stain of original sin 
is not in thee. Thou art the glory of Jerusalem. 
Thou art the joy of Israel. Thou art the honor 
of our people. Thou art the advocate of sinners. 
0 Mary! 0 Mary! Virgin most prudent. Mother 
most clement. Pray for us. Intercede for us 
with Our Lord Jesus Christ. 

Ant. Thy immaculate conception, Virgin Moth¬ 
er of God, brought joy to the whole world; for 
out of thee arose the Sun of justice, Christ our 
God, who, lifting the curse from us, brought us 
blessings, and, putting death to flight, gave us life 
eternal. 


254 


Practices of Devotion. 


Instead of the above-mentioned prayers, “ Thou 
art all fair,” and the Ant., “ Thy immaculate con¬ 
ception,” the following may be said: 

Ant. This is the rod in which was neither knot 
of original sin, nor rind of actual guilt. 

V. In thy conception, 0 Virgin, thou wast im¬ 
maculate. 

R. Pray for us to the Father, whose Son thou 
didst bring forth. 

Let us Pray. 

0 God, who, by- the immaculate conception of 
the Virgin, didst prepare a worthy habitation for 
Thy Son: we beseech Thee that, as in view of the 
death of that Son Thou didst preserve her from all 
stain of sin, so Thou wouldst enable us, being 
made pure by her intercession, to come unto 
Thee. Through the same Christ our Lord. 

R. Amen. 


THE FEAST OF THE PURIFICATION. 

(February 2d.) 

HISTORICAL EXPLANATION. 

Candlemas, or the Feast of the Purification, 
is celebrated to commemorate the taking of the 
forty-day-old child Jesus up to the Temple in 



^ The Feast of the Purification. 255 

Jerusalem, in obedience to the law. It is be¬ 
lieved that the Emperor Justinian first ordered 
the keeping of the feast in the year 542, during 
the ravages of a terrible plague in Constantinople. 
Later the feast was extended to the whole Greek 
Church. Baronius, however, thinks that the 
feast was celebrated even earlier (494) in the 
Western Church* by order of Pope Gelasius. The 
custom of holding a procession with burning can¬ 
dles on that day is certainly very ancient, for St. 
Ildephonsus of Toledo, and St. Eligius of Noyon, 
who both lived in the seventh century, not only 
mention this custom, but try to explain it. “ By 
this procession of light/’ says St. Ildephonsus, 
“ the Christian community testifies to its resolu¬ 
tion to walk in the light of Jesus Christ and prays 
also for the grace to be faithful to this resolution, 
in order to enter that realm where there is ever¬ 
lasting light/’ 

NOVENA FOR THE FEAST OF THE 
PURIFICATION. 

(Novena begins January 24th and ends 
February 1st.) 

PRAYERS. 

Come, Holy Ghost, etc., as on page 231. 

1. Bright mirror of all virtues, holiest Mary, 
forty days had scarcely elapsed from thy delivery 


256 


Practices of Devotion . 


when thou, though the purest of all virgins, didst 
will, according to the law, to be presented in the 
Temple to he purified: grant that we, like thee, 
may keep our hearts unstained by sin, that so we, 
too, may be made worthy to be presented to our 
God in the temple of his glory. 

Hail Mary, etc. 

2. Virgin most obedient, at thy presentation 
in the Temple thou didst will, like other women, 
to offer the wonted sacrifice: obtain for us that 
we, too, following thy example, may learn how to 
offer ourselves a living sacrifice to God by prac¬ 
tising every virtue. 

Hail Mary, etc. 

3. Virgin most pure, in observing the precept 
of the law thou didst care little that men should 
account thee unclean: ask for us grace to keep 
our hearts forever pure, however blamable the 
world may think us. 

Hail Mary, etc. 

4: Virgin most holy, in offering thy divine Son 
to his Eternal Father, thou didst gladden all the 
court of heaven: present our poor hearts to God, 
that he, by his grace, may keep them ever free 
from mortal sin. 

Hail Mary, etc. 

5. Virgin most humble, in placing Jesus in 
holy old Simeon’s arms, thou didst fill his soul 


The Feast of the Purification. 257 

with heavenly joy: give onr hearts into God’s holy 
keeping, that he may fill them with his Holy 
Spirit. 

Hail Mary, etc. 

6. Virgin most zealous, by redeeming thy Son 
Jesus according to the law, thou didst cooperate 
in the salvation of the world: ransom now our 
poor hearts from the slavery of sin, that so they 
may be ever pure before the face of God. 

Hail Mary, etc. 

7. Virgin most meek, on hearing the prophecy 
of Simeon foretelling thy woes, thou didst 
promptly bow to the good pleasure of God: en¬ 
able us also to bear all troubles with patience and 
resignation to his divine will. 

Hail Mary, etc. 

8. Virgin most compassionate, when through 
thy divine Son thou didst fill the soul of Anna 
the prophetess with light, thou didst make her 
magnify the'mercies of God by recognizing Jesus 
as the Eedeemer of the world: enrich our souls 
with heavenly grace that we may largely share 
the fruit of the divine redemption. 

Hail Mary, etc. 

9. Virgin most resigned, w r ho didst feel thy 
soul transfixed with sorrow when in spirit thou 
didst foresee all the bitter Passion of thy Son, and 
knowing the grief of Joseph, thy spouse, for all 


258 


Practices of Devotion. 


thy sufferings, didst with holy words console him: 
pierce through and through our souls with true 
sorrow for our sins that we may one day have 
the consolation to be made partakers of thy glory 
in heaven. 

Hail Mary, etc. 

Then say the Litany, and afterward: 

V. Simeon received an answer from the Holy 
Spirit. 

R. That he should not see death until he had 
seen the Christ of the Lord. 

Let us Pray. 

Almighty, everlasting God, we pray Thy 
majesty that, as Thy only begotten Son was 
presented in the Temple in the substance of our 
flesh, so Thou wouldst enable us to present our¬ 
selves before Thee with clean hearts. Amen. 

For making the above novena an indulgence of 
three hundred days each time, and a plenary indul¬ 
gence on the feast itself or on any day of its octave. 
—Pius VII., Aug. 4 and Nov. 24,1808; Jan. 11,1809. 

MEDITATIONS FOE THE FEAST. 

i. 

When the time had come in which, according 
to the law, Mary was to be purified in the Temple, 
and to present Jesus to the Eternal Father, she. 


The Feast of the Purification. 


259 


accompanied by St. Joseph, directed her steps 
towards Jerusalem. Joseph took two turtle¬ 
doves which were to be offered, and Mary took 
her beloved Infant. She took the divine Lamb 
to offer it to God, as a token of the great sacrifice 
which he would one day accomplish on the cross. 

My God, I also unite my sacrifice to that of 
Mary; I offer Thee Thy Incarnate Son; and by 
his merits I beseech Thee to grant me Thy grace. 
I do not deserve it; but Jesus sacrificed himself to 
Thee to obtain it for me. For the love of Jesus, 
then, have mercy on me. 


ii. 

Behold, Mary entered the Temple, and in the 
name of the whole human race made the obla¬ 
tion of her Son- But, especially on this day, 
Jesus offered himself to his Eternal Father. 
“ Behold me, 0 Father,” he said; “ to Thee do 
I consecrate my whole life; Thou hast sent me 
into the world to save it: accept my blood and 
my life; I offer them without reserve to Thee, for 
the salvation of the world.” 

Unfortunate should I have been, my dear Re¬ 
deemer, hadst Thou not satisfied the divine jus¬ 
tice for me. I thank Thee with my whole soul, 
and I love Thee with my whole heart. And 


260 


Practices of Devotion . 


whom shall I love, if I do not love a God who 
sacrificed his life for me? 

This sacrifice was more precious in the sight of 
God than if all men and angels had offered him 
their lives. Yes, because it was in this offering 
of Jesus alone that the Eternal Father received 
infinite honor and an infinite satisfaction. Jesus 
Christ said one day to Blessed Angela of Foligno, 
“I offered myself for thee, that thou mightest 
offer thyself to me.” 


Example. 

A Lutheran lady, at Augsburg in Germany, who 
was obstinate in her heresy, was one day passing 
before a Catholic chapel, and out of curiosity 
entered it, and saw there an image of Mary with 
the infant Jesus in her arms, and felt inspired to 
make her an offering. She went to her house and 
took a piece of silk, which she offered to the Blessed 
Virgin. On her return home this good Mother en¬ 
lightened her to see the errors of her sect; she im- 
‘mediately went to see some Catholics, abjured 
heresy, and was converted to God. 

Prayer. 

Yes, my Jesus, since Thou hast offered Thy life 
to Thy Eternal Father for me, I offer my life and 
my entire self to Thee. Hitherto, with the greatest 
ingratitude, I have despised Thee; but Thou hast 
promised no more to remember the outrages of a 
sinner who repents of having offended Thee. My 
Jesus, I grieve for having offended Thee, and wish 
that T could die of grief. I was dead by sin; from 


The Feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. 261 

Thee I hope for life, and my life shall be to love 
Thee, O Infinite Good. Make me love Thee; I ask 
for nothing more. Dispense the riches of this world 
to those who desire them; I desire nothing but the 
treasure of Thy love. My Jesus, Thou alone art 
sufficient for me. O Queen and my Mother Mary, 
through thee do I hope for every grace. 


THE FEAST OF THE IMMACULATE HEART 
OF MARY. 

(Feast, Sunday after the Octave of the Assumption.) 

HISTORICAL EXPLANATION. 

The arch-confraternity of the Immaculate Heart 
of Mary was established at Paris, in the Church 
of Yotre Dame des Victoires, December 16, 1836. 
It was approved by the Pope, April 24, 1838, 
with the privilege' of aggregating to itself other 
similar associations. The primary object of the 
Association is to pray for the conversion of sinners 
and of persons in error, and God has been pleased 
to answer its prayers in a most remarkable 
manner. 

All that is absolutely necessary on the part of 
each associate is, after registration of name, to 
recite every day the “ Hail Mary ” for the inten¬ 
tions of the Association. The pious exercises 
which follow, though well suited to answer 



262 Practices of Devotion. 

the ends of the Association, are not strictly re¬ 
quired. 

It is also recommended—1. To communicate 
once a month; 2. To recite the Rosary once a 
week; both for the intentions of the Association. 
3. To wear, as a badge, the medal of the Immacu¬ 
late Conception. 4. To say often the “ Memorare ” 
prayer. 

The plenary indulgences granted to the asso¬ 
ciates, with the usual conditions, are—1. On the 
day of admission. 2. At the hour of death. 3. 
On the Sunday before Septuagesima, the principal 
feast of the Association. 4. On the Feast of Our 
Lord’s Circumcision. 5. On the Feasts of the 
Purification, Annunciation, Assumption, Concep¬ 
tion, Dolors, and Nativity of our blessed Lady. 

6. On the Feast of the Conversion of St. Paul. 

7. On the Feast of St. Mary Magdalen. 8. On any 
two days of the month. 9. On the anniversary of 
their baptism. 

There is also an indulgence of five hundred days 
for all the members and other persons who assist 
at the Masses celebrated on Saturdays in honor of 
the holy and immaculate heart of Mary, in the 
church or chapel of the Confraternity, and there 
pray for the conversion of sinners. 

The benefits of the Association extend beyond 
this life; for a Mass is celebrated for the deceased 


The Feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. 263 


members at Notre Dame des Yictoires on the first 
Saturday of every month. 

NO VENA IN HONOR OF THE IMMACULATE 
HEART OF MARY. 

(Feast, Sunday after the Octave of the Assumption.) 

PRAYER. 

Heart of Mary, Mother of G-od, our Mother; 
heart most amiable, delight of the ever-adorable 
Trinity, and worthy of all the veneration and 
tenderness of angels and men; heart most like 
the heart of Jesus, whose perfect image thou art; 
heart full of goodness, ever compassionate towards 
our miseries! vouchsafe to thaw our icy hearts and 
change them to the likeness of the heart of Jesus. 
Infuse into them the love of thy virtues; inflame 
them with that blessed fire with which thou dost 
ever burn. In thee let the holy Church find safe 
shelter; be thou its guardian and its ever-sweet 
asylum, its tower of strength, impregnable against 
the assaults of its enemies. Be thou the road 
leading to Jesus; be thou the channel whereby we 
receive all* graces needful for our salvation. Be 
thou our help in need, our comfort in trouble, 
our strength in temptation, our refuge in perse¬ 
cution, our aid in danger; but especially in the 


264 


Practices of Devotion. 


last struggle of our life, at the moment of our 
death, when all hell shall be unchained against 
us to snatch away our souls—in that dread mo¬ 
ment, that hour so terrible, on which depends our 
eternity, ah! then, most tender Virgin, do thou 
make us feel how great is the sweetness of thy 
mother’s heart, how great thy power with the 
heart of Jesus, opening to us in the very fount 
of mercy itself a safe refuge, that so one day we 
too may join thee in paradise in praising the 
heart of Jesus for ever and ever. Amen. 

May the divine Heart of Jesus and the immac¬ 
ulate heart of Mary be known, praised, blessed, 
loved, worshipped, and glorified always and in all 
places. Amen. 

1. Indulgence of sixty days once a day. 

2. A plenary indulgence on the Feasts of the Na¬ 
tivity, of the Assumption and of the Immaculate 
Heart of Mary to all those who shall have said the 
above prayer every day during the year when, being 
truly penitent, after confession and Communion, 
they shall visit a church or an altar in any church 
dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary and pray for 
the intention of the Sovereign Pontiff. 

3. A plenary indulgence at the hour of death to 
those who during life shall have practised this pious 
exercise every day. 

For making a novena in honor of the immaculate 
heart of Mary and her patronage an indulgence is 
granted of three hundred days each day, and a 
plenary indulgence during the course of the novena 


The Feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. 265 

or on one of the eight days immediately following 
it—Pius IX., Jan. 5, 1849. 

CONSIDERATIONS. 

1. The Son of God died to save sinners, and we 
cannot imitate his charity more agreeably to him 
than by ever aiming at the same object. 

2. Prayer is the most powerful means of draw¬ 
ing dowm from God the grace necessary for it, and 
is, moreover, in every one^s powder. 

3. No intercession is so effectual as that of the 
Blessed Mother of God; let us therefore seek it. 

4. But then we must show true devotion toward 
her, by imitating her virtues, particularly the 
purity of her heart. 

5. The good example which we shall thus give 
will greatly forward the ends of the Association. 

6. Let all the associates, therefore, encourage 
one another in diligence, in virtue, in devout exer¬ 
cises, especially in frequenting the sacraments, and. 
ever discourage all sin and irregularity whether in 
word or work. 


Example. 

In one of the Redemptorist missions, after the 
sermon on the Blessed Virgin Mary, which it is al¬ 
ways customary to preach, a very old man came to 
make his confession to one of the Fathers. Filled 
with consolation he said, “Father, our blessed Lady 
has granted me a grace.” “ What grace has she 
granted you?” the confessor asked. “You must 


266 


Practices of Devotion. 


know, Father,” he replied, “that for five-and-thirty 
years I have made sacrilegious confessions, for there 
is a sin which I was ashamed to confess; and yet I 
have passed through many dangers, have many times 
been at the point of death, and had I then died, I 
should certainly have been lost; but now our blessed 
Lady has touched my heart with grace to tell it.” 
This he said weeping, and shedding so many tears, 
that he quite excited compassion. The Father, after 
hearing his confession, asked him what devotion he 
had practised. He replied that on Saturdays he had 
never failed to abstain from milk in honor of 
Mary, and that on this account the Blessed Virgin 
had shown him mercy. At the same time he gave 
the Father leave to publish the fact. 

Prayer of St. Athanasius. 

Give ear to our prayers, O most holy Virgin, and 
be mindful of us. Dispense unto us the gifts of thy 
riches, and the abundance of the graces with which 
thou art filled. The archangel saluted thee, and 
called thee full of grace. All nations call thee 
blessed. The whole hierarchy of heaven blesses 
thee; and we, who are of the terrestrial hierarchy, 
also address thee, saying, Hail, O full of grace, Our 
Lord is with thee; pray for us, 0 holy Mother of 
God, our Lady and our Queen. 

LITTLE CHAPLET IN HONOR OF THE 
IMMACULATE HEART OF MARY. 

V. Incline unto my aid, 0 God! 

R. 0 Lord! make haste to help me. 

V. Glory he to the Father, etc. 

R. As it was, etc. 


The Feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. 267 

1. Immaculate Virgin, who, conceived without 
sin, didst direct every movement of thy most pure 
heart to that God who was ever the object of thy 
love, and who wast ever most submissive to his 
will, obtain for me the grace to hate sin with my 
whole heart, and to learn of thee to live in per¬ 
fect resignation to the will of God. 

Recite one “ Our Father ” and seven “ Hail 
Marys.” 

Heart transpierced with pain and woe! 

Set my heart with love aglow. 

2. I marvel, Mary, at thy deep humility, through 
which thy blessed heart was troubled at the 
gracious message brought thee by Gabriel the 
archangel, that thou wast chosen Mother of the 
Son of the Most High, and through which thou 
didst proclaim thyself his humble handmaid; 
wherefore, in great confusion at the sight of my 
pride, I ask thee for the grace of a contrite and 
humble heart, that, knowing my own misery, I 
may obtain that crown of glory promised to the 
truly humble of heart. 

Our Father, etc. Heart, etc. 

3. Blessed Virgin, who in thy sweetest heart 
didst keep, as a precious treasure, the words of 
Jesus thy Son, and, pondering on the lofty mys¬ 
teries they contained, didst learn to live for God 


268 


Practices of Devotion. 


alone: how doth my cold heart confound me. .0 
dearest Mother, get me grace so to meditate with¬ 
in my heart upon God’s holy law, that I may strive 
to follow thee in the fervent practice of every 
Christian virtue. 

Our Father, etc. Heart, etc. 

4. Glorious Queen of m'artyrs, whose sacred 
heart was pierced in thy Son’s hitter Passion by 
the sword whereof the holy old man Simeon had 
prophesied, gain for my heart true courage and a 
holy patience to bear the troubles and misfortunes 
of this miserable life, that so, by crucifying my 
flesh with its desires, while following the mortifi¬ 
cation of the cross, I may, indeed, show myself to 
be a true son of thine. 

Our Father, etc. Heart, etc. 

5. 0 Mary, mystical rose, whose loving heart, 
burning with the living fire of charity, did accept 
us for thy sons at the cross’s foot, becoming thus 
our tender Mother, make me feel the sweetness of 
thy maternal heart and thy power with Jesus, that 
when menaced by the perils of this mortal life, 
and most of all in the dread hour of death, my 
heart, united with thine own, may love my Jesus 
then and through all ages. Amen. 

Our Father, etc. Heart, etc. 

Let us now turn to the most sacred Heart of 
Jesus. Hat ’"' ,C,TT ; nfPme us with his holy love. 


The Feast of the Annunciation. 


269 


0 divine Heart of Jesus, to Thee I consecrate 
myself, full of deep gratitude for the many bless¬ 
ings I have received, and daily do receive, from 
Thy boundless charity. With my whole heart I 
thank Thee for having, in addition to them all, 
vouchsafed to give me Thy own most holy Mother, 
giving me to her as a son in the person of the 
beloved disciple. Let my heart ever bum with 
love for Thee, finding in Thy sweetest Heart its 
peace, its refuge, and its happiness. 


THE FEAST OF THE ANNUNCIATION. 

(March 25th.) 

HISTORICAL EXPLANATION. 

The most plausible opinion relative to the 
origin of the celebration of this feast is the one 
which sets the beginning of its celebration towards 
the end of the fourth century in the Greek Church 
and a little later in the Western. Proclus, the 
successor of St. Chrysostom, preached sermons on 
this feast. It was known under various names— 
the “ Day of the Angels’ Greeting ” and so on. 
In earlier times it was also celebrated on various 
dates—in Spain, for instance, on the 18th of 
December, and in Milan on the Sunday before 
Christmas. 



270 


Practices of Devotion. 


NOVENA FOR THE FEAST OF THE 
ANNUNCIATION. 

(Novena begins March 16th and ends March 24th.) 
NINE SALUTATIONS. 

Come, Holy Ghost, etc., as on page 231. 

1. With wonder I revere thee, holiest Virgin 
Mary, for of all God’s creatures thou wast hum¬ 
blest on the very day of thy annunciation, when 
God himself exalted thee to the sublime dignity 
of his own Mother. 0 mightiest Virgin, make 
me, wretched sinner that I am, know the depths 
of my own nothingness, and make me humble 
myself at last, with all my heart, beneath the feet 
of all men. 

Hail Mary, etc. 

2. 0 Mary, holiest Virgin, who, when the arch¬ 
angel Gabriel hailed thee in thy annunciation, 
and thou wast raised by God above all choirs of 
the angels, didst confess thyself the handmaid of 
the Lord—“ Ecce ancilla Domini —Behold the 
handmaid of the Lord ”—do thou obtain for me 
true humility and a truly angelic purity, and so 
to live on earth as ever to be worthy of the bless¬ 
ings of God. 

Hail Mary, etc. 

3. With thee I rejoice, 0 Virgin ever blest! be- 


The Feast of the Annunciation. 271 

cause by a simple fiat , uttered by thee so humbly, 
thou didst draw down from the bosom of the 
Eternal Father the divine Word into thine own 
pure bosom. 0 draw, then, ever my heart to God; N 
and with God bring grace into my heart, that I 
may ever sincerely bless thy fiat , and with devo¬ 
tion cry: 0 almighty fiat! 0 fiat efficacious! 0 
fiat to be venerated above all fats! 

Hail Mary, etc. 

4. Mary, mighty Virgin, thou who on the day 
of thy annunciation wast found by the archangel 
Gabriel so prompt and ready to do God’s will, and 
to correspond with the desires of the august 
Trinity, who wished for thy consent in order to 
redeem the world, obtain for me that whatever 
happens, good or ill, I may turn to my God and 
with resignation say: u Fiat, fiat milni secundum 
verbum tuum —Be it done to me according to Thy 
word.” 

Hail Mary, etc. 

5. I see that thy obedience, Mary most holy, 
united thee so closely to God, that all creation 
never shall know^ again union so fair and perfect: 
cc Magis Deo conjungi, nisi fieret Deus non potuit — 
She could not have been more united to God ex¬ 
cept by being God herself.” I am overwhelmed 
with confusion in seeing how my sins have sepa¬ 
rated me from God. Help me, then, gentle 


272 


Practices of Devotion. 


Mother, to repent sincerely of my sins, that I may 
he reunited to thy loving Jesus. 

Hail Mary, etc. 

6. Holiest Mary, if, through thy modesty, thou 
wert troubled at the appearance of the archangel 
Gabriel in thy dwelling, I am terrified at the sight 
of my monstrous pride. By thy incomparable 
humility, which brought forth God for men, re¬ 
opened paradise, and let the captive souls go free 
from hell beneath ( quae Deum hominibus peperit 
paradisum aperuit et animas ab inferno liberavit), 
draw me, I pray thee, out of the deep pit wherein 
my sins have cast me, and make me save my soul. 

Hail Mary, etc. 

7. Though njy tongue is unhallowed, yet, pur¬ 
est Virgin, I presume to hail thee every hour 
of the day: “Ave, ave , Maria, gratia plena —Hail, 
hail, Mary, full of grace/’ From my heart I pray 
thee pour into my soul a little of that mighty 
grace wherewith the Holy Spirit overshadowed 
thee, filled thee to the full. 

Hail Mary, etc. 

8. I believe, holiest Mary, that the almighty 
God, who was ever with thee from thy concep¬ 
tion (“ Dorninus tecum —The Lord is with thee ”), 
is, by His incarnation in thy purest womb, still 
more closely united to thee: make it thy care, I 
pray thee, that I may be with that same dear 


The Feast of the Annunciation. 273 

Lord Jesus, ever one, heart and soul, by means of 
sanctifying grace. 

Hail Mary, etc. 

9. 0 holiest Mary! bless me, my heart and soul, 
as thou thyself was ever blessed of God among 
all women (benedicta tu in mulierilms); for I have 
this sure hope, that if, dear Mother, thou bless 
me while I live, then when I die I shall be blessed 
of God in the everlasting glory of heaven. 

Then say the Litany, and afterward: 

V. The angel of the Lord declared unto Mary. 

R. And she conceived of the Holy Ghost. 

Let us Pray. 

0 God, who, by the message of an angel, didst 
will that Thy divine Word should take flesh from 
the womb of the Blessed Virgin Mary! grant 
unto us. Thy suppliants, that we, who believe her 
to be truly the Mother of God, may be helped by 
her intercession with Thee. Amen. 

For making the above novena an indulgence of 
three hundred days every day, and a plenary indul¬ 
gence on the feast itself or on any day in its octave. 
—Pius VII., Aug. 4, Nov. 24, 1808; Jan. 11, 1809. 

MEDITATION. 

i. 

When God was pleased to send his Son on earth, 
that by becoming man he might redeem lost man. 


274 


Practices of Devotion. 


he chose for him a Virgin Mother, who, amongst 
all virgins, was the most pure, the most holy, and 
the most humble. Behold, whilst Mary was in 
her poor dwelling, beseeching God to send the 
promised Redeemer, an angel stood before her and 
saluted her, saying, Hail , full of grace; the Lord 
is with thee; blessed art thou among women. (Luke 
i. 28.) And what was the conduct of this humble 
Virgin when she heard so honorable a salutation? 
She was not elated, but was silent and troubled, 
considering herself indeed unworthy of such 
praises: she was troubled at his saying. 

0 Mary, thou art so humble, and I am so filled 
with pride; obtain for me holy humility. 


ii. 

Think you that .these praises caused Mary at 
least to suspect that she might be the destined 
Mother of the Redeemer? No; they only caused 
her to conceive a great fear of herself; so much so, 
indeed, that the angel had to encourage her: Fear 
not , Mary; for thou hast found grace with God. 
He then announced to her that she was the 
chosen Mother of the Redeemer of the world: Be¬ 
hold thou shalt conceive in thy womb , and slialt bring 
forth a Son , and thou shalt call his name Jesus. 

Blessed art thou, 0 Mary; how dear wast thou 


The Feast of the Annunciation. 


275 


to God, and how dear art thou still to him! Have 
pity on me. 

ill. 

“And now, 0 holy Virgin,” says St. Bernard, 
“ why dost thou delay thy consent? The Eternal 
Word awaits it to clothe himself with flesh and 
become thy Son. We also await it, who in misery 
are condemned to eternal death. If thou con- 
sentest, and acceptest to become his Mother, we 
shall be made free. Quickly, 0 Lady, answer. 
Delay not the salvation of the world, which de¬ 
pends on thy consent.” But let us rejoice, for 
Mary already answers the angel: Behold the hand¬ 
maid of the Lord; he it done to me according to thy 
word. “ Behold,” she says, “ the slave of the 
Lord, who is bound to do all that her Lord com¬ 
mands.” If he chooses a slave for his Mother, 
it is not she who is to he praised, but the good¬ 
ness of that Lord alone, who is thus graciously 
pleased to honor her. 

Example. 

St. Francis Xavier, who like the apostles was 
called to preach the faith in far countries, was sus¬ 
tained in all his labors by the protection of the 
Blessed Virgin, whose devout client and servant he 
was. He had such vivid faith in her intercession 
that he had recourse to her for every grace. In the 
Church of Our Lady at Montmartre in Paris (1534) 


276 


Practices of Devotion. 


lie consecrated himself to the apostolic life on the 
Feast of her Assumption, and in her church at 
Loretto he received the interior call to go to India. 
To publicly acknowledge himself a servant of Mary, 
he wore her rosary on his breast. 

When the saint explained the doctrines of our 
holy religion to the Oriental people among whom 
he labored, he was wont to close with the Salve 
Regina, entreating the Mother of grace to pre¬ 
serve the faith to these people. Often he spent the 
whole night in a church in prayer, usually before a 
picture of the Blessed Virgin. To her he w r ent for 
help in his own affairs and in those of his spiritual 
children, imploring her intercession with a child¬ 
like trust. He had a particular veneration for the 
mystery of the Immaculate Conception and made 
a vow to defend it with all his power. Dying, he 
fervently called upon Mary and gave up his saintly 
spirit into her hands and those of her divine Son. 

Prayer. 

0 most humble Mary, thou by this thy humility 
didst so enamor thy God that thou didst draw him 
to thee, so as to become thy Son and our Redeemer. 
I know that thy Son refuses thee nothing that thou 
askest him. Ask him to forgive all the offences 
that I have committed against him; ask him to grant 
me perseverance until death. In fine, recommend 
my soul to him; for thy recommendations meet 
with no denial from a Son who loves thee so much. 
O Mary, thou hast to save me; thou art my hope. 


The Feast of the Seven Dolors. 


277 


THE FEAST OF THE SEVEN DOLOES. 

(Friday before Palm Sunday.) 

HISTORICAL EXPLANATION 

The first trace of this feast is found in Germany 
in the beginning of the fifteenth century. In the 
year 1413 a synod assembled at Cologne under 
Archbishop Theodoricus and ordered the keeping 
of this day to combat the heresies of the Hussites,, 
who were particularly active in destroying images, 
and pictures of Our Lady of Sorrows. 

Sixtus IV. gave a special Mass for the day, and 
Benedict XIII. extended the feast to the whole 
Church, fixing it for the Friday before Palm Sun¬ 
day. The devotion to the Sorrowful Mother has 
been promoted especially by the Cistercians and 
the Servites, the former keeping the feast on the 
17th of April and the latter on the third Sunday 
in September. It is certainly meet that the suf¬ 
ferings of the Sorrowful Mother be commemo¬ 
rated on a special day. 

MEDITATIONS ON THE SEVEN DOLOES. 

I. 

St. Simeon’s Prophecy. 

In this valley of tears every man is born to 
weep, and all must suffer, by enduring the evils 


278 


Practices of Devotion. 


which are of daily occurrence. But how much 
greater would the misery of life be did we also 
know the future evils which await us! 

Our Lord conceals the trials which await us, 
that, whatever they may be, we may endure them 
but once. He did not show Mary this compas¬ 
sion, for she, whom God willed to be the Queen 
of sorrows, and in all things like his Son, had to 
see always before her eyes and continually to suf¬ 
fer all the torments'that awaited her: and these 
were the sufferings of the Passion and death of her 
beloved Jesus; for in the Temple, St. Simeon, hav¬ 
ing received the divine Child in his arms, foretold 
to her that that Son would be a mark for all the 
persecutions and oppositions of men. Behold , this 
Child is set . . . for a sign which shall he contra¬ 
dicted. And therefore that a sword of sorrow 
should pierce her soul: And thy own soul a sword 
shall pierce. (Luke ii. 34, 35.) 

The Blessed Virgin herself told St. Matilda 
that, on this announcement of St. Simeon, “ all 
her joy was changed into sorrow.” For, as it was 
revealed to St. Teresa, though the Blessed Mother 
already knew that the life of her Son would be 
sacrificed for the salvation of the world, yet she 
then learnt more distinctly and in greater detail 
the sufferings and cruel death that awaited her 
poor Son. She knew that he would be contra- 


The Feast of the Seven Dolors. 279 

dieted, and this in everything: contradicted in his 
doctrines; for, instead of being believed, he would 
be esteemed a blasphemer for teaching that he 
was the Son of God; that he would be considered 
so notoriously wicked that, as the Jews said to 
Pilate, no trial was necessary to condemn him. 
If lie were not a malefactor, we would not have de¬ 
livered him up to thee (John xviii. 30); that he 
would be contradicted in his very soul; for even 
his Eternal Father, to give place to divine justice, 
contradicted him by refusing to hear his prayer 
when he said, Father, if it he possible, let this 
chalice pass from me (Matt. xxvi. 39); and aban¬ 
doned him to fear, weariness, and sadness; so that 
our afflicted Lord exclaimed My soul is sorrowful 
unto death! (ib. 38), and his interior sufferings 
even caused him to sweat blood. She knew that, 
tortured in all his sacred members, in his hands, 
his feet, his face, his head, and in his whole body, 
drained of his blood and an object of scorn, he 
would die of torments on an ignominious cross. 

The Evangelist says that as Jesus Christ ad¬ 
vanced in years, so also did he advance in wisdom 
and in grace with God and men. (Luke ii. 52.) 
This is to be understood, as St. Thomas explains 
it, that he advanced in wisdom and grace in the 
estimation of men and before God, inasmuch as all 
his works would continually have availed to in- 


280 


Practices of Devotion. 


crease his merit, had not grace been conferred 
upon him from the beginning, in its complete ful¬ 
ness, by virtue of the hypostatic union. But since 
Jesus advanced in the love and esteem of others, 
how much more must he have advanced in that 
of Mary! But, 0 God, as love increased in her, 
so much the more did her grief increase at the 
thought of having to lose him by so cruel a death; 
and the nearer the time of the Passion of her Son 
approached, so much the deeper did that sword of 
sorrow, foretold by Simeon, pierce the heart of his 
Mother. This was precisely revealed by the angel 
to St. Bridget, saying: “ That sword of sorrow was 
every hour approaching nearer to the Blessed Vir¬ 
gin as the time for the Passion of her Son drew 
near.” 

Since, then, Jesus, our King, and his most holy 
Mother, did not refuse, for love of us, to suffer so 
cruel pains throughout their lives, it is reasonable 
that we, at least, should not complain if we have 
to suffer something. 

Example. 

St. Francis Hieronymo, that great saint of the 
eighteenth century, was as remarkable for his devo¬ 
tion to the Blessed Virgin as for his missionary 
labors. He fasted every Saturday, and on the feasts 
of the Blessed Virgin he added other works of 
penance to the fast. Our blessed Mother was his 
comfort in his trials, his strength in his labors, and 


The Feast of the Seven Dolors. 281 

his refuge in perils. He recited the Rosary every 
day, even while he was on his most laborious mis¬ 
sions. He endeavored at all times to imitate the 
virtues of Mary, particularly her great and active 
charity. 

In Naples and other cities of Italy he labored 
incessantly for the conversion of sinners, in the pul¬ 
pit, in the confessional, at sick-beds, in prisons, 
wherever his ardor for souls led him. And because 
he knew of his own experience what a great means 
of grace is the veneration of the Blessed Virgin, 
it was his aim to spread the devotion to her in every 
way that he could. In his sermons and instructions 
he constantly dwelt upon her virtues, her charity to¬ 
wards men, and the benefits to be obtained through 
her intercession. 

He especially recommended recourse to Mary in 
temptations against purity and said, “ Whoever is 
not a faithful servant of Mary, will hardly be 
saved.” Among the members of his congregations 
and the confraternities which he directed he in¬ 
troduced the pious custom of publicly renewing the 
personal dedication to the service of Mary once every 
, month. Everywhere he went it was noticeable how 
the devotion to the Mother of Our Lord received 
fresh vigor. 

In this way the saint won his own salvation and 
showed the way to holiness to thousands of others. 
So much may a soul accomplish that loves Mary 
deeply and faithfully. 

St. Francis Hieronymo died on the 11th of May, 
1716, at the age of seventy-four, after having labored 
for forty years as a missionary. 

Prayer. 

Ah, my blessed Mother, it is not one sword only 
with which I have pierced thy heart, but 1 have done 


282 


Practices of Devotion. 


so with as many as are the sins which I have com¬ 
mitted. Ah, Lady, it is not to thee, who art inno¬ 
cent, that sufferings are due, but to me, who am 
guilty of so many crimes. But since thou hast 
been pleased to suffer so much for me, ah, by thy 
merits, obtain me great sorrow for my sins, and 
patience under the trials of this life, which will 
always be light in comparison with my demerits; for 
I have often deserved hell. Amen. 


II. 

The Flight of Jesus into Egypt. 

Let us now consider the second sword of sorrow 
which wounded Mary, in the flight of her In¬ 
fant Jesus into Egypt from the persecution of 
Herod. 

Herod, having heard that the expected Messias 
was born, foolishly feared that he would deprive 
him of his kingdom. Hence St. Fulgentius, re¬ 
proving him for his folly, thus addresses him: 
“ Why art thou troubled, 0 Herod? This King 
who is born comes not to conquer kings by the 
sword, but to subjugate them wonderfully by his 
death.” The impious Herod, therefore, waited to 
hear from the holy Magi where the King was born, 
that he might take his life; but finding himself de¬ 
ceived, he ordered all the male infants that could 
be found in the neighborhood of Bethlehem to be 
put to death. Then it was that the angel appeared 


The Feast of the Seven Dolors. 283 

in a dream to St. Joseph, and desired him to Arise,, 
and take the Child and his Mother, and fly into 
Egypt. (Matt. ii. 13.) 

Seeing that he was no sooner born than he was 
persecuted unto death, what anguish, writes St. 
John Chrysostom, must the intimation of that 
cruel exile of herself and her Son have caused in 
her heart: “ Flee from thy friends to strangers,, 
from God’s temple to the temples of devils. What 
greater tribulation than that a new-born child,, 
hanging from its mother’s breast, and she too in 
poverty, should with him be forced to fly? ” 

Any one may imagine what Mary must have 
suffered on this journey. Mary w T as then fifteen 
years of age—a delicate young woman, unaccus¬ 
tomed to such journeys. 0 God, what a touching 
sight must it have been to have beheld that tender 
Virgin, with her new-born babe in her arms, wan¬ 
dering through the world! “ But how/’ asks St. 
Bonaventure, “ did they obtain their food? Where 
did they repose at night? How were they 
lodged?” What can they have eaten but a piece 
of hard bread, either bought by St. Joseph or 
begged as an alms? Where can they have slept on 
such a road, unless on the sand or under a tree in 
a wood, exposed to the air and the dangers of rob¬ 
bers and wild beasts? Ah, had any one met these 
three greatest personages in the world, for whom 


284 Practices of Devotion. 

could he have taken them but for poor wandering 
beggars? 

They resided in Egypt, according to Brocard 
and Jansenius, in a district called Maturea; though 
St. Anselm says that they lived in the city of 
Heliopolis, or at Memphis, now called old Cairo. 
They were foreigners, unknown, without revenues, 
money, or relatives, barely able to support them¬ 
selves by their humble efforts. “As they were 
destitute,” says St. Basil, “ it is evident that they 
must have labored much to provide themselves 
with the necessaries of life.” 

After the death of Herod, St. Matthew relates, 
the angel again appeared to St. Joseph in a dream, 
and directed them to return to 1 Judea. St. Bona- 
venture, speaking of this return, considers how 
much greater the Blessed Virgin’s sufferings must 
have been on account of the pains of Jesus being 
so much increased, as he was then about seven 
years of age—an age, remarks the saint, at which 
“he was too big to be carried, and not strong 
enough to walk without assistance.” 

The sight, then, of Jesus and Mary wandering 
as fugitives through the world, teaches us that we 
also must Jive as pilgrims here below; detached 
from the goods which the world offers us, and 
which we must soon leave to enter eternity: We 
have not here a lasting city, but seelc one that is to 


The Feast of the Seven Dolors. 285 

come. (Heb. xiii. 14.) To which St. Augustine 
adds: “ Thou art a guest: thou givest a look, and 
passest on.” It also teaches us to embrace crosses, 
for without them we cannot live in this world. 
Whoever wishes to feel less the sufferings of this 
life must go in company with Jesus and Mary: 
“ Take the Child and his Mother.” All suffer¬ 
ings become light, and even sweet and desirable, 
to him who by his love bears this Son and this 
Mother in his heart. Let us, then, love them; let 
us console Mary by welcoming in our hearts her 
Son, whom men even now continue to persecute 
by their sins. 

Example. 

It is related in the life of St. Alphonsus Liguori 
that he once met a woman who was a great sinner. 
Amid tears she told him the hopelessness of her spir¬ 
itual condition. He encouraged her as follows: 

“ Be of good heart, my daughter, I will show you 
a way by which you may return to the Saviour whom 
you have forsaken. We have a good Mother, the 
Blessed Virgin. In her we may place our hope, for 
the Church hails her as the refuge of sinners. How 
much will not a good mother do for her children? 
If one falls she leaves the others to help up the fallen 
one, then she soothes it and cleans it. Turn then 
to the Blessed Virgin like a fallen child to its 
mother and she will raise you up and free your 
soul from the stain of sin and soothe the pangs of 
your soul.” The woman did as she was advised and 
found eternal salvation through the intercession of 
the Blessed Mother. 


286 


Practices of Devotion. 


Prayer. 

Then, O Mary, even after thy Son hath died by 
the hands of men, who persecuted him unto death,* 
these ungrateful men have not yet ceased persecut¬ 
ing him by their sins, and continue to afflict thee, 
O sorrowful Mother! And, O God, I also have been 
one of these. Ah, my most sweet Mother, obtain 
me tears to weep over such ingratitude. By the 
sufferings thou didst endure on that journey to 
Egypt, assist me on the journey which I am now 
making to eternity, that thus I may at length be 
united to thee in loving my persecuted Saviour in 
the kingdom of the blessed. Amen. 

III. 

The Loss of Jesus in the Temple. 

The sorrow which we have this day to consider 
was one of the greatest that Mary had to endure in 
her life—the loss of her Son in the Temple. 

He who is born blind feels but little the priva¬ 
tion of the light of day; but he who has once en¬ 
joyed it, and loses it by becoming blind, indeed 
suffers much. Thus it is also with those unhappy 
souls who, blinded by the mire of the world, have 
but little knowledge of God—they suffer but little 
at not finding him; but, on the other hand, he 
who, illumined by celestial light, has become 
worthy to find by love the sweet presence of the 
supreme good, 0 God, how bitterly does he grieve 
when he finds himself deprived of it! Hence, let 


The Feast of flu Seven Dolors. 287 

us see how much Mary must have suffered from 
this third sword of sorrow which pierced her heart, 
when, having lost her Jesus in Jerusalem for three 
days, she was deprived of his most sweet presence, 
accustomed as she was constantly to enjoy it. 

There are some who assert, and not without 
reason, that this dolor was not only one of the 
greatest, but the greatest and most painful of all. 
For, in the first place, Mary, in her other dolors, 
had Jesus with her: she suffered when St. Simeon 
prophesied to her in the Temple; she suffered in 
the flight into Egypt, but still in company with 
Jesus; hut in this dolor she suffered far from 
Jesus, not knowing where he was: And the light of 
my eyes itself is not with me. (Ps. xxxvii. 11.) 
Origen says that through the love which this holy 
Mother bore her Son, “she suffered more in this 
loss of Jesus than any martyr ever suffered in the 
separation of his soul from his body.” 

In the second place, Mary, in all her other sor¬ 
rows, well understood their cause—the redemption 
of the world, the divine will; hut in this she knew 
not the cause of the absence of her Son. “ The 
sorrowful Mother,” says Lanspergius, “ was 
grieved at the absence of Jesus, because, in her 
humility, she considered herself unworthy to re¬ 
main longer with or to attend upon him on earth, 
and have the charge of so great a treasure ” 


288 


Practices of Devotion. 


“And who knows ? ” perhaps she thought within 
herself; “ maybe I have not served him as I ought; 
perhaps I have been guilty of some negligence, 
for which he has left me.” 

Therefore in this sorrow alone did Mary com¬ 
plain, lovingly expostulating with Jesus, after she 
had found him: Son, why hast Thou done so to us? 
Thy father and I have sought Thee sorrowing. 
(Luke ii. 48.) 

This sorrow of Mary ought, in the first place, to 
serve as a consolation to those souls who are deso¬ 
late, and no longer enjoy, as they once enjoyed, 
the sweet presence of their Lord. They may weep, 
but they should weep in peace, as Mary wept over 
the absence of her Son; and let them take courage 
and not fear that on this account they have lost 
the divine favor, for God himself assured St. 
Teresa that “no one is lost without knowing it, 
and that no one is deceived without wishing to he 
deceived.” If Our Lord withdraws himself from 
the sight of a soul that loves him, he does not, 
therefore, depart from the heart; he often con¬ 
ceals himself from a soul that it may seek him 
with a more ardent desire and greater love. But 
whoever wishes to find Jesus must seek him, not 
amidst delights and the pleasures of the world, 
hut amidst crosses and mortifications, as Mary 
sought him. We sought Thee sorrowing, as Mary 


The Feast of the Seven Dolors. 


289 


said to her Son. Learn, then, from Mary,” 
says Origen, “ to seek Jesus.” 

Example. 

In the seventeenth century there lived in Turin 
a holy nun of the Order of the Visitation, who was 
in a state of most extraordinary union with the 
Saviour. Her name was Joanna Benigna Goyos. 
She had a particular devotion to the sacred human¬ 
ity of the Lord, and the essence of her spiritual life 
was in the constant offering up of all her actions 
and thoughts in union with the actions of Jesus. 
It was revealed to her that this was the favorite de¬ 
votion of Mary and Joseph when on earth—“ an 
amiable invention,” as she called it, whereby they 
acquired infinite graces. When Joanna Benigna 
meditated on the mysteries of the thirty-three years 
of the life of Our Lord, she felt herself moved by 
a supernatural attraction to unite her soul with 
him in his sorrows. This was her interior occu¬ 
pation, until it pleased the Lord at last to make 
known to her some of the mysteries of his Sacred 
Heart. He revealed to her that the three days’ 
separation from Mary and Joseph in Jerusalem 
caused him more pain than all the other sorrows of 
his life. For in the grief of his Mother at his loss 
he saw also her grief on Calvary when they would 
be parted by death. So great was the grief of Mary 
at this first separation that it would have caused her 
death but for the inner strength given her by his 
spiritual union with his Mother. No one but he 
himself could comprehend it. 

Prayer. 

O Blessed Virgin, why dost thou afflict thyself 
seeking for thy lost Son ? Ah, Mary, dost thou sigh 


290 


Practices of Devotion. 


after Jesus, thou who lovest none but Jesus? Leave 
sighs to me, and to so many sinners who love him 
not, and who have lost him by offending him. My 
most amiable Mother, if through my fault thy Son 
is not yet returned to my soul, do thou obtain for 
me that I may find him. I well know that he is 
found by those who seek him: The Lord is good 
to the soul that seeketh him. (Lam. iii. 25.) But 
do thou make me seek him as I ought. Thou art 
the gate through which all find Jesus; through thee 
I also hope to find him. Amen. 


IV. 

The Meeting of Mary with Jesus when he was 
going to Death. 

The greater the love of the Blessed Mother for 
her Son, the greater her grief at the sight of his 
sufferings; and especially when she met her Son, 
already condemned to death, and bearing his cross 
to the place of punishment. This is the fourth 
sword of sorrow that we have this day to con¬ 
sider. In the morning the disciples of Jesus 
Christ came to this afflicted Mother, the one to 
bring her one account, the other another; but all 
were tidings of sorrow, verifying in her the 
prophecy of Jeremias: Weeping , she hath wept in 
the night , and her tears are on her cheeks; there is 
none to comfort her of all them that were dear to her. 
(Lam. i. 2.) Some then came to relate to her the 
cruel treatment of her Son in the house of Cai- 


The Feast of the Seven Dolors. 291 

phas, and others the insults he had received from 
Herod. Finally St. John came. “Ah! afflicted 
Mother,” said St. John, “ thy Son is already con¬ 
demned to death; he is already gone forth, bear¬ 
ing himself his cross, on his way to Calvary,” as 
the saint afterwards related in his Gospels: and 
hearing his oivn cross he went forth to that place 
which is called Calvary. (John xix. 17.) “Come, 
if thou desirest to see him, and bid him a last 
farewell, in some street through which he must 
pass.” 

St. Bonaventure represents the afflicted Mother 
taking a shorter way, and placing herself at the 
corner of a street, to meet her afflicted Son as he 
was passing by. While Mary was waiting in that 
place, how much must she have heard said by the 
Jews, who soon recognized her, against her be¬ 
loved Son, and perhaps even words of mockery 
against herself. 

Alas, what a scene of sorrows then presented 
itself before her!—the nails, the hammers, the 
cords, the fatal instruments of the death of her 
Son, all of which were borne before him. And 
what a sword must the sound of that trumpet 
have been to her heart which proclaimed the sen¬ 
tence pronounced against her Jesus! 

But behold the instruments, the trumpeter, and 
the executioners have already passed; she raised 


292 


Practices of Devotion. 


her eyes and saw, 0 God! a young man covered 
with blood and wounds from head to foot, a wreath 
of thorns on his head and two heavy beams on his 
shoulders. She looked at him, and hardly recog¬ 
nized him, saying, with Isaias, and we have seen 
him, and there was no sightliness. (Is. liii. 2.) 
Yes, for the wounds, the bruises, and the clotted 
blood disfigured him beyond recognition. 

When Margaret, the daughter of Sir Thomas 
More, met her father on his way to death, she 
could only exclaim, “ 0 father! father! ” and fell 
fainting at his feet. Mary, at the sight of her 
Son on his way to Calvary did not faint; no, for 
it was not becoming, as Father Suarez remarks, 
that this Mother should lose the use of her reason; 
nor did she die, for God reserved her for greater 
grief. 

The Mother would have embraced him, as St. 
Anselm says, but the guards thrust her aside with 
insults, and urged forward the suffering Lord; and 
Mary followed him. Ah, holy Virgin, whither 
goest thou? To Calvary. And canst thou trust 
thyself to behold him who is thy life hanging on 
a cross? And thy life shall he, as it were, hanging 
before thee. (Deut. xxviii. 66.) Let us, then, pity 
her, and let us also accompany her Son and her¬ 
self by bearing with patience the cross that Our 
Lord imposes on us. St. John Chrysostom asks 


The Feast of the Seven Dolors. 293 

why Jesus Christ, in his other sufferings, was 
pleased to endure them alone, but in carrying his 
cross was assisted by the Cyrenean? He replies 
that it was “ that thou mayest understand that the 
cross of Christ is not sufficient without thine.” 

Example. 

The cross unites souls to God. Blessed Jerome 
Emilian, when a soldier, and loaded with sins, was 
shut up by his enemies in a tower. There, moved 
by his misfortunes, and enlightened by God to 
change his life, he had recourse to the ever-blessed 
Virgin; and from that time, by the help of this 
divine Mother, he began to lead the life of a saint, 
so much so that he merited once to see the very high 
place that God had prepared for him in heaven. 
He became the founder of the religious Order of the 
Somaschi, died as a saint, and has lately been 
canonized by the holy Church. 

Prayer. 

My sorrowful Mother, by the merit of that grief 
which thou didst feel in seeing thy beloved Jesus 
led to death, obtain me the grace that I also may 
bear with patience the crosses which God sends me. 
Happy indeed shall I be if I only know how to 
accompany thee with my cross until death. Thou 
with thy Jesus—and you were both innocent—hast 
carried a far heavier cross; and shall I, a sinner, 
who have deserved hell, refuse to carry mine? Ah, 
immaculate Virgin, from thee do I hope for help 
to bear all crosses with patience. Amen. 


294 


Practices of Devotion. 


V. 

The Death of Jesus. 

We have now to witness a new kind of martyr¬ 
dom—a Mother condemned to see an innocent 
Son, and one whom she loves with the whole affec¬ 
tion of her soul, cruelly tormented and put to 
death before her own eyes. 

There stood by the cross of Jesus his Mother. 
(John xix. 25.) St. John believed that in these 
words he had said enough of Mary’s martyrdom. 
Consider her at the foot of the cross in the pres¬ 
ence of her dying Son, and then see if there be a 
sorrow like unto her sorrow. 

As soon as our agonized Redeemer had reached 
the Mount of Calvary, the executioners stripped 
him of his clothes, and piercing his hands and feet, 
they fastened him on the cross. Having crucified 
him, they planted the cross, and thus left him to 
die. The executioners left him; but not so Mary. 
She then drew nearer to the cross to be present 
at his death. “ But what did it avail thee, 0 
Lady,” says St. Bonaventure, “ to go to Calvary 
and see this Son expire? Shame should have pre¬ 
vented thee; for his disgrace was thine, since thou 
wert his Mother. Ah, thy heart did not then think 
of its own sorrows, but of the sufferings and death 


The Feast of the Seven Dolors. 295 

of thy dear Soil,” and therefore thou wouldst thy¬ 
self be present, at least to compassionate him. 
When a mother is obliged to witness the sufferings 
of a dying child, she procures all possible relief for 
her child, but 0 Mary, thou hast to witness the 
agony of thy dying Jesus; but thou canst adminis¬ 
ter him no relief. Mary heard her Son exclaim, 
I thirst , but she could not even give him a drop of 
water to refresh him in that great thirst. She 
saw that on that bed of torture her Son, suspended 
by three nails, c.v.'.d find no repose; she would 
have clasped him in her arms to give him relief, or 
that at least he might there have expired, but she 
could not. She beheld that poor Son, who in his 
sea of grief sought consolation, as it was foretold 
by the prophet, but in vain: I have trodden the 
winepress alone; I looked about and there was none 
to help; I sought, and there was none to give aid. 
(Is. lxiii. 3.) But who amongst men would con¬ 
sole him, since all were enemies? Even on the 
cross he was taunted and blasphemed on all 
sides: And they that passed by, blasphemed him, 
wagging their heads. (Matt, xxvii. 39.) 

But that which the most increased the sorrows 
which Mary endured through compassion for her 
Son was hearing him complain on the cross that 
even his Eternal Father had abandoned him: My 
God, my God, why hast Thou forsaken me? (Matt. 


296 


Practices of Devotion. 


xxvii. 39.) So that the afflicted Mother saw her 
Jesus suffering on every side; she desired to com¬ 
fort him, but could not. But if Mary’s lips were 
silent, her heart was not so, for she incessantly 
offered the life of her Son to the divine justice for 
our salvation. Therefore we know that by the 
merits of her dolors she cooperated in our birth to 
the life of grace; and hence we are the children of 
her sorrows. And indeed these were the last words 
with which Jesus bid her farewell before his 
death: this was his last recommendation, leaving 
us to her for her children in the person of St. 
John: Woman, behold tliy son. (John xix. 26.) 
From that time Mary began to perform this good 
office of a mother for us. 

Example. 

Once as St. Matilda meditated on the words the 
dying Saviour addressed to his Mother, “ Woman, 
behold thy son,” she was moved to ask the Saviour 
that he might vouchsafe to her the same favor which 
he did to St. John and say to his blessed Mother 
of her, “ Woman, behold thy daughter.” Her desire 
was rewarded. She heard how the Saviour recom¬ 
mended her to the Blessed Virgin, in view of the 
blood he had shed for her, the death which he had 
suffered for her, and because she was his spouse 
by her vow of chastity. St. Matilda, overjoyed by 
this grace, asked that the Lord might grant the same 
favor to all who ask it of him. And the Lord re¬ 
vealed to her that he would deny it to none who 
fervently ask and desire it. Let us therefore pray 


The Feast of the Seven Dolors. 


297 


humbly and fervently to Jesus to grant us the grace 
to be worthy children of such a Mother. 

Prayer. 

Ah, Mother, the most sorrowful of all mothers, thy 
Son is, then, dead; that Son so amiable, and who 
loved thee so much! Weep, then, for thou hast 
reason to weep. Disdain not, in the mean time, 
O my Mother, to keep me near thee, to weep with 
thee, since I have so much reason to weep for the 
crimes by which I have offended him. Ah, Mother 
of mercy, I hope, first, through the death of my 
Redeemer, and then through thy sorrows, to obtain 
pardon and eternal salvation. Amen. 


VI. 

The Piercing of the Side of Jesus, and His Descent 
from the Cross. 

Now we are to consider the sixth dolor which 
afflicted this poor Mother. Attend and weep. 
Hitherto the dolors of Mary tortured her one by 
one; on this day they are all, as it were, united 
to assail her. That the joy of the following 
Paschal Sabbath might not be disturbed, the 
Jews desired that the body of Jesus should be 
taken down from the cross; but as this could not 
be done unless the criminals were dead, men came 
with iron bars to break Our Lord’s legs, as they 
had already done those of the two thieves who 
w T ere crucified with him. Mary was still weeping 


298 


Practices of Devotion. 


over the death of her Son, when she saw these 
armed men advancing towards her Jesns. She 
implored them, writes St. Bonaventure, “ not to 
break his legs.” But while she thus spoke, 0 
God! she saw a soldier brandish a lance and 
pierce the side of Jesus. There came out blood 
and water; for only those few drops of blood re¬ 
mained, and even those Our Saviour was pleased 
to shed that we might understand that he had 
no more blood to give us. 

The afflicted Mother, fearing that other inju¬ 
ries might still be inflicted on her Son, entreated 
Joseph of Arimathea to obtain the body of her 
Jesus from Pilate, that at least in death she 
might guard and protect it from further outrage. 
Jesus then was taken down from the cross. 
“ Oh, how many swords,” says St. Bonaventure, 
“ pierced the poor Mother’s soul ” when she re¬ 
ceived the body of her Son from the cross! Let 
us only consider the anguish it would cause any 
mother to receive into her arms the body of her 
lifeless son. Bernardine de Bustis describes the 
afflicted Mother as standing and extending her 
arms to meet her dear Son; she embraced him 
and then sat at the foot of the cross. His mouth 
was open, his eyes were dim; she then examined 
his mangled flesh and uncovered bones; she took 
off the crown and saw the sad injuries which the 


The Feast of the Seven Dolors. 299 

thorns had inflicted on that sacred head; she saw 
the holes in his hands and feet. 

But what would she now say were she still 
susceptible of suffering? What would be her 
grief to see that men, notwithstanding that her 
Son has died for them, still continue to torment 
and crucify him by their sins! Let us, at least, 
cease to torment this afflicted Mother; and if we 
have hitherto grieved her by our sins, let us now 
do all that she desires. She says, Return, ye 
transgressors, to the heart. (Is. xlvi. 8.) Sinners, 
return to the wounded heart of my Jesus; return 
as penitents, and he will welcome you. “ 0 
world,” continues Mary, hehold, then, thy time is 
the time of lovers. (Ezech. xvi. 8.) “Now that 
my Son has died to save thee, it is no longer for 
thee a time of fear, but one of love—a time to 
love him, who to show thee the love he bore thee 
was pleased to suffer so much.” And if you de¬ 
sire, 0 children of Mary, to find a place in the 
heart of Jesus, without fear of being rejected, 
“go,” says Ubertino da Casale, “go with Mary; 
for she will obtain the grace for you.” 

Example. 

The following happening is related in the life of 
St. Alphonsus Liguori, and its truth is attested by 
the saint himself with a solemn oath: 

In the year 1731 the Italian province of Apulia 
was devastated by a terrible earthquake. In the 


300 


Practices of Devotion. 


capital, Foggia, nearly everything was wrecked. 
Among other things the Collegiate Church was 
in ruins. This church had had in its possession a 
most ancient miraculous picture of the Blessed 
Virgin. It was so old that the lines and colors were 
almost faded from view. Nevertheless it was 
rescued from the debris and carried to the church 
of the Capuchins, where the faithful took refuge, 
seeking the protection of Mary. One day the faded 
picture suddenly glowed with the color and freshness 
of youth and the countenance looked benignly down 
upon the assembled people. This miracle was re¬ 
peated on several different days. 

At the same time St. Alphonsus was sent for by 
the Bishop of Foggia to preach a novena to the 
Blessed Virgin. One evening St. Alphonsus, filled 
with the pious desire to behold more closely a picture 
of which so much that was wonderful was related, 
mounted the steps of the altar above which it was 
hung. Suddenly he fell into an ecstasy and re¬ 
mained in that state for an hour. When he came 
back to ordinary consciousness, he began to sing 
the hymn “ Ave maris Stella,” and the few people 
remaining in the church joined with him. 

On the following day the saint related what he had 
seen, and in memory of his vision he had a picture 
painted representing the Blessed Virgin as she ap¬ 
peared to him. This picture is still to be seen. And 
that no one might have a doubt of the vision of the 
saint, it pleased God to attest it by another miracle. 
When, after several days, Alphonsus was preaching 
eloquently of devotion to Mary and asking his 
hearers to put their trust in her help, the face of the 
painting, which was ordinarily veiled, was suddenly 
uncovered and showed itself with the features and 
bloom of a maiden of fourteen. A bright ray of 
light fell from it upon the head of the pious 


The Feast of the Seven Dolors. 


301 


preacher. At once the cry, “A miracle! a miracle! ” 
arose. The people wept with emotion and the hearts 
of many were moved to penance and great sinners 
gave public and unusual evidences of conversion. 

Prayer. 

O afflicted Virgin! O soul great in virtue but 
great also in sorrow, for the one and the other took 
their rise in that immense love with wdiich thy heart 
was inflamed towards God, for thou couldst love him 
alone; ah, Mother, pity me, for instead of loving 
God I have greatly offended him. Thy sorrows en¬ 
courage me to hope for pardon. But this is not 
enough; I wish to love my Lord; and who can better 
obtain me this love than thou, who art the Mother 
of fair love? Ah, Mary, thou comfortest all; con¬ 
sole me also. Amen. 


VII. 

The Burial of Jesus. 

Behold the last sword of Mary’s sorrow, which 
we have now to consider; for after witnessing the 
death of her Son on the cross, and embracing for 
a last time his lifeless body, this Blessed Mother 
had to leave him in the sepulchre, never more to 
enjoy, his beloved presence on earth. 

That we may better understand this last dolor, 
we will return to Calvary and consider the 
afflicted Mother, who still holds the lifeless body 
of her Son clasped in her arms. The holy dis¬ 
ciples, fearful that the poor Mother might die of 


302 


Practices of Devotion. 


grief, approached her to take the body of her Son 
from her arms to bear it away for burial. Hav¬ 
ing embalmed it, they wrapped it in a linen cloth 
which was already prepared. On this cloth, 
which is still preserved at Turin, Our Lord was 
pleased to leave to the world an impression of his 
sacred body. 

The disciples then bore him to the tomb. To 
do this, they first of all raised the sacred body on 
their shoulders, and then the mournful train set 
forth; choirs of angels from heaven accompanied 
it; the holy women followed, and with them the 
afflicted Mother also followed her Son to the 
place of burial. When they had reached the ap¬ 
pointed place, 0 how willingly would Mary have 
there buried herself alive with her Son had such 
been his will! Finally, the disciples raised the 
stone and closed up the holy sepulchre, and in it 
the body of Jesus, that great treasure—a treasure 
so great that neither earth nor heaven had a 
greater. Tlien bidding her last farewell to her 
beloved Jesus and to the sepulchre, Mary left it 
and returned to her own house. “ This Mother,” 
says St. Bernard, “ went away so afflicted and 
sad that she moved many to tears in spite of 
themselves; and wherever she passed, all who met 
her wept,” and could not restrain their tears. 
And he adds that the holy disciples and women 


The Feast of the Seven Dolors. 303 

who accompanied her “ mourned even more for 
her than for their Lord.” 

When she arrived at her house, the afflicted 
Mother cast her eyes around and no longer saw 
her Jesus; hut, instead of the sweet presence of 
her dear Son, the remembrance of his beautiful 
life and cruel death presented itself before her 
eyes. She remembered how she had pressed that 
Son to her bosom in the crib of Bethlehem; the 
conversations she had held with him during the 
many years they had dwelt in the house of Naza¬ 
reth; she remembered their mutual affection, 
their loving looks, the words of eternal life which 
fell from those divine lips; and then the sad scene 
which she had that day witnessed again presented 
itself before her. The nails, the thorns, the 
lacerated flesh of her Son, those deep wounds, 
those uncovered bones, that open mouth, those 
dimmed eyes, all presented themselves before her. 
Ah, what a night of sorrow was that night for 
Mary! Thus does St. Bernard speak in her 
name: “0 truly begotten of God, Thou wast to 
me a father, a son, a spouse: Thou wast my very 
soul! Now I am deprived of my father, widowed 
of my spouse, a desolate, childless Mother; hav¬ 
ing lost my only Son, I have lost all.” 

And thou, my soul, weepest not! Ah, turn to 
Mary, and address her with St. Bonaventure, say- 


304 


Practices of Devotion. 


ing: “ 0 my own sweet Lady, let me weep; thou 
art innocent, I am guilty.” Entreat her at least 
to let thee weep with her: “ Grant that with thee 
I may weep.” She weeps for love; do thou weep 
through sorrow for thy sins. 

Example. 

A few days before the Feast of the Annunciation 
a certain priest at Strasbourg was asked to visit a 
gentleman who was mortally ill. The priest made a 
visit, but noticed at once during his conversation 
that the dying man was one who had long since lost 
his faith and filled his mind with the incongruities 
of what he considered a more modern philosophy. 
After the priest had exhausted all his resources and 
had made no impression upon the closed heart of the 
man, he said to him: “ My dear friend, it fills me 
with fear and sorrow to see you approaching 
eternity without being reconciled to Our Lord. You 
have refused everything I have asked of you so far; 
do not refuse me this last request. Say a little 
prayer to the Blessed Virgin every day. If you have 
no confidence in prayer yourself, say it in my name, 
for I have such confidence in her intercession that 
I believe she will even consider an appeal to her 
made in this way. Promise me that you will do this 
and I feel assured that by the time of her next feast 
you will have made your peace with God.” These 
simple words were effective. The man promised to 
say St. Bernard’s great prayer, the Memorare, every 
day. On the day of the Annunciation the priest 
made the third visit. But the patient was a changed 
man by this time. He confessed his sins with all 
the evidences of contrition, received Communion and 
died an edifying death. 


The Feast of the Seven Dolors. 


305 


Prayer. 

My afflicted Mother, I will not leave thee alone to 
weep; no, I will accompany thee with my tears. 
This grace I now ask of thee: obtain that I may al¬ 
ways bear in mind and always have a tender devo¬ 
tion towards the Passion of Jesus and thy sorrows, 
that the remainder of my days may thus be spent 
in weeping over thy sufferings, my own sweet 
Mother, and those of my Redeemer. These sorrows, 
I trust, will give me the confidence and strength that 
I shall require at the hour of death, that I may not 
despair at the sight of the many sins by which I 
have offended my Lord. They must obtain me par¬ 
don, perseverance, and heaven, where I hope to re¬ 
joice with thee, and to sing the infinite mercies of 
my God for all eternity. Thus do I hope; thus may 
it be. Amen. Amen. 

LITTLE ROSARY IN HONOR OF THE 
SEVEN DOLORS OF MARY. 

EXPLANATION. 

This chaplet is divided into seven parts, each be¬ 
ing composed of one “Our Father ” and seven “Hail 
Marys,” in honor of the seven principal sorrows of 
Mary, the Mother of God. To gain the indulgences 
that are attached to it, and that have been largely 
increased by Clement XII., the rosary should have 
been duly blessed for this purpose, and whilst 
reciting it one must reflect on the sorrows of the 
Blessed Virgin, according to one’s capacity, and add 
at the end the “ Hail Mary ” three times in honor of 
the tears that she shed during these sorrows. 

Benedict XIII. granted two hundred days’ in¬ 
dulgence for every “ Our Father” and every “ Hail 


306 


Practices of Devotion. 


Mary,” to those who recite the little Rosary of the 
Seven Dolors in the churches of the Servites of 
Mary. He also granted the same favor to all who 
recite it in any place whatever on Fridays or any 
day during Lent. To those who recite it on other 
days he granted one hundred days for every “ Our 
Father” and “Hail Mary.” To those who recite 
it entire, seven years and seven quarantines. To 
those who recite it for a month a plenary indulgence 
applicable to the souls in purgatory. 

Incline unto mine aid, O God! O Lord! make 
haste to help me. Glory be to the Father, and to 
the Son, and to the Holy Ghost. As it was in the 
beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without 
end. Amen. 

My Mother! share thy grief with me, 

And let me bear thee company 
To mourn thy Jesus’ death with thee. 

I. 

I pity thee, 0 afflicted Mother, on account of 
the first sword of sorrow that pierced thee, when 
in the Temple all the outrages which men would 
inflict on thy beloved Jesus were presented before 
thee by St. Simeon. By that bitter knowledge, 
then, which for so many years afflicted thy heart, 
I beseech thee, my Queen, to obtain me the grace 
that during my life and at my death I may ever 
keep the Passion of Jesus and thy sorrows im¬ 
pressed on my heart. 

Our Father once, Hail Mary seven times, and 
the strophe are repeated after each dolor. 


The Feast of the Seven Dolors. 


307 


ii. 

I pity thee, my afflicted Mother, for the second 
sword which pierced thee, when, soon after his 
birth, thou didst behold thy innocent Son threat¬ 
ened with death by those very men for wdiose sal¬ 
vation he had come into the world; so that in the 
darkness of night thou wast obliged to fly secretly 
with him into Egypt. I beseech thee, my beloved 
Lady, to obtain for me grace to suffer with 
patience until death, in thy company, the trials of 
this miserable life that I may thus in the next 
escape the eternal punishments of hell, which I 
have deserved. 

Our Father, etc. 

hi. 

I pity thee, my sorrowful Mother, on account of 
the third sword which pierced thee in the loss of 
thy dear Son Jesus, who remained absent from 
thee in Jerusalem for three days. By the sighs, 
then, of those three days, for thee too long and 
bitter, I beseech thee to obtain me the grace that 
I may never lose my God; that so, always clinging 
to him, I may leave the world united to him. 

Our Father, etc. 

iv. 

I pity thee, my sorrowful Mother, for the fourth 
sword which pierced thee, in seeing thy Son con- 


308 


Practices of Devotion. 


demned to death, bound with cords and chains, 
covered with blood and wounds, crowned with 
a wreath of thorns, falling under the weight of a 
heavy cross which he carried on his wounded 
shoulders, going as an innocent Lamb to die for 
love of us. By this great sorrow, then, I beseech 
thee to obtain me the grace to live in all things 
resigned to the will of my God, and to carry my 
cross cheerfully in company with Jesus, until my 
last breath. 

Our Father, etc. 


Y. 

I pity thee, my afflicted Mother, for the fifth 
sword which pierced thee, when on Mount Calvary 
thou didst behold thy beloved Son Jesus slowly 
dying before thy eyes, amid so many torments 
and insults, on that hard bed of the cross, where 
thou couldst not administer him even the least 
of those comforts that are granted to the greatest 
criminals at the hour of death. I beseech thee, 
by the agony which thou, my most loving Mother, 
didst endure together with thy dying Son, and 
by the sadness which thou didst feel, when, for 
the last time, he spoke to thee from the cross and 
bade thee farewell, and left all of us, in the per¬ 
son of St. John, to thee as thy children; by that 
constancy with which thou didst then see him bow 


The Feast of the Seven Dolors. 309 

down his head and expire, I beseech thee to ob¬ 
tain me the grace, from thy crucified love, to live 
and die crucified to all earthly things, that I may 
spend my life for God alone, and thus one day 
enter paradise to enjoy him face to face. 

Our Father, etc. 

VI. 

I pity thee, my afflicted Mother, for the sixth 
sword which pierced thee, when thou didst see the 
sweet heart of thy Son pierced through and 
through. By this cruel sorrow, then, which was 
all thine, I beseech thee to obtain me the grace to 
dwell in the Heart of Jesus, wounded and opened 
for me; in that Heart, I say, which is the beautiful 
abode of love, in which all souls who love God re¬ 
pose; and that, living there, I may never think of 
or love anything but God. Most sacred Virgin, 
thou canst obtain this for me; from thee do I hope 
for it. 

Our Father, etc. 

VII. 

I pity thee, my afflicted Mother, for the seventh 
sword which pierced thee on seeing thy Son dead 
in thy arms, no longer fair and beautiful, but 
covered with blood, livid and all lacerated with 
wounds, so that even his bones were seen. And 
when he was borne to the sepulchre, thou wouldst 


310 


Practices of Devotion. 


thyself accompany him, arid place him with thy 
own hands in the tomb; and bidding him the last 
farewell, thou didst leave thy loving heart buried 
with thy Son. By this martyrdom of thy beauti¬ 
ful soul, do thou obtain me, 0 Mother of fair love, 
the forgiveness of the offences which 1 have com¬ 
mitted against my beloved God, and of which I 
repent with my whole heart, that I may one day, 
after this miserable exile, go to paradise to sing 
the praises of Jesus and of thee for all eternity. 
Amen. 

Our Father, etc. 

Pray for us, O most sorrowful Virgin, that we 
may> be made worthy of the promises of Christ. 

Let us Pray. 

0 God, at whose Passion, according to the 
prophecy of Simeon, a sword of sorrow did pierce 
through the most sweet soul of the glorious Virgin 
and Mother Mary, grant that we, who commemorate 
and reverence her dolors, may experience the blessed 
effect of Thy Passion, who livest and reignest world 
without end. Amen. 

STAB AT MATER. 

At the cross her station keeping, 

Stood the mournful Mother weeping, 

Close to Jesus to the last: 

Through her heart his sorrow sharing, 

All his bitter anguish bearing, 

Lo! the piercing sword had passed. 


The Feast of the Seven Dolors. 


311 


Oh, how sad, and sore distressed, 

Xow was she, that Mother Blessed 
Of the sole-begotten One; 
Woe-begone, with heart’s prostration, 
Mother meek, the bitter Passion 
Saw she of her glorious Son. 

Who could mark, from tears refraining, 
Christ’s dear Mother uncomplaining. 
In so great a sorrow bowed? 

Who, unmoved, behold her languish 
Underneath his cross of anguish, 

’Mid the fierce unpitying crowd? 

For his people’s sins rejected, 

She her Jesus, unprotected, 

Saw with thorns, with scourges rent; 
Saw her Son from judgment taken, 
Her beloved in death forsaken. 

Till his Spirit forth he sent. 

Fount of love and holy sorrow. 

Mother! may my spirit borrow 
Somewhat of thy woe profound; 
Unto Christ with pure emotion, 

Eaise my contrite heart’s devotion,— 
Love to read in every wound. 


312 


Practices of Devotion. 


Those five wounds on Jesus smitten, 
Mother! in my heart be written, 

Deep as in thine own they be: 

Thou, my Saviour's cross who bearest. 
Thou, thy Son’s rebuke who sharest, 
Let me share them both with thee! 

In the Passion of my Maker 
Be my sinful soul partaker, 

Weep till death, and weep with thee; 
Mine with thee be that sad station, 
There to watch the great salvation 
Wrought upon the atoning Tree. 

Virgin, thou of virgins fairest. 

May the bitter woe thou bearest 
Make on me impression deep; 

Thus Christ’s dying may I carry. 

With him in his Passion tarry, 

And his wounds in memory keep. 

May his wounds transfix me wholly. 
May his cross and life-blood holy 
Ebriate my heart and mind: 

Thus inflamed with pure affection. 

In the Virgin’s Son protection 
May I at the judgment find. 


The Feast of the Visitation . 


313 


When in death my limbs are failing 
Let Thy Mother's prayer prevailing 
Lift me, Jesus, to Thy throne: 

To my parting soul be given 
Entrance through the gate of heaven; 

There confess me for Thine own! 

An indulgence of one hundred days was granted 
by Pope Innocent XI. to the faithful who say this 
hymn with devotion in honor of the Mother of sor¬ 
rows. This indulgence was confirmed by Pope Pius 
IX., by a rescript, June 18, 1876. 


THE FEAST OF THE VISITATION. 

(July 2d.) 

HISTORICAL EXPLANATION. 

The first trace of this feast as one of the regu¬ 
lar feasts of the Church is found in the middle 
of the fourteenth century. It has been kept as 
a special feast by the Franciscans since 1263. Its 
most ardent promoter was St. Bonaventure, who 
proposed in that year that the feast be solemnly 
kept in the whole Franciscan Order, which propo¬ 
sition Pope Urban IV. sanctioned. 

Urban VI. resolved in the last year of his Pon¬ 
tificate, 1389, to extend the feast to the entire 
Church, but died before he could publish the bull 



314 


Practices of Devotion. 


announcing it. His successor, Boniface IX., did 
so in the next year, and in 1441 the Synod of 
Basle reaffirmed the order of the Popes and in¬ 
sisted on the celebration of the feast by the en¬ 
tire Church. 

NOVENA FOR THE FEAST OF THE 
VISITATION. 

(Novena begins June 23d and ends July 1st.) 

PRAYER. 

0 holy Virgin, spotless mirror of humility, 
great was thy charity which moved thee to visit 
thy holy cousin St. Elizabeth, and exceeding thy 
joy when that venerable matron, inspired by the 
Holy Ghost, exclaimed on seeing thee: “ Blessed 
art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit 
of thy womb. And whence is this to me that the 
Mother of my Lord should come to me?” 0 
dear Mother, I beseech thee, by this thy joy, to 
obtain for me the favors I petition in this novena 
[name them ], and grant that our hearts may be 
visited by thy divine Son, so that, being free from 
all sin, we may praise him and give him thanks 
forever. Amen. 

Nine Hail Marys or the Magnificat. 


The Feast of the Visitation . 


315 


MEDITATIONS FOR THE FEAST. 


i. 

Mary set out from Nazareth to go to the city of 
Judea, in which St. Elizabeth resided, a distance,, 
according to Broccardus, of upwards of seventy 
miles, or at least seven days’ journey. Her spouse,, 
St. Joseph, alone accompanied her. The holy and 
tender Virgin hastened her steps, as St. Luke tells 
us: Mary, rising up in those days, went into the hill 
country with haste. Tell us, 0 holy Lady, why 
didst thou undertake so long and arduous a 
journey, and why didst thou so hasten thy steps? 
“ I went,” she replies, “ to exercise my office of 
charity: I went to console a family.” 

Since, then, 0 great Mother of God, thy office is 
to console and dispense graces to souls, ah, be 
graciously pleased also to visit and console my 
soul. Thy visit sanctified the house of Elizabeth: 
come, 0 Mary, and sanctify me also. 

ii. 

Behold the Blessed Virgin already arrived at 
the house of Elizabeth. She was the Mother of 
God, but yet she was the first to salute Elizabeth: 
And she entered . . . and saluted Elizabeth . Eliza¬ 
beth, enlightened by God,‘knew that the divine 
Word had become man, that he had become the 


316 


Practices of Devotion. 


Son of Mary; therefore she called her blessed 
amongst women, and blessed the divine fruit 
which she carried in her womb: Blessed art thou 
among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb. 
At the same time, filled with confusion and joy, 
she exclaimed: And whence is this to me, that the 
Mother of my Lord should come to me? But what 
does the humble Mary reply to these words? She 
says: My soul doth magnify the Lord; as if she had 
said, “ Ah, Elizabeth, thou dost praise me; but I 
praise my God, who hath been graciously pleased 
to exalt me, who am his poor servant, to the dig¬ 
nity of being his Mother: ” He hath regarded the 
humility of his handmaid. 

0 most holy Mary, since thou dispenses! so 
many graces to those who ask thee for them, I 
beseech thee to grant me thy humility. Thou 
esteemest thyself as nothing before God; but I am 
worse than nothing, for I am a sinner. Thou 
canst make me humble; do so for the love of that 
God who made thee his Mother. 

hi. 

But what took place at the first sound 1 of the 
voice of Mary saluting Elizabeth? When Elizabeth 
heard the salutation of Mary, the infant leaped in 
her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy 
(Ihost. The infant John exulted with jo}'’ on ac- 


The Feast of the Visitation. 317 

count of the divine grace which was then con¬ 
ferred upon him. Elizabeth was filled with the. 
Holy Ghost; and Zachary, the father of the Bap¬ 
tist, had shortly afterwards the consolation of 
recovering his speech. 

Example. 

St. Jane Frances de Chantal, the foundress of the 
order of the Visitation, lost her mother in childhood. 
Painful as this loss was to her she yet consoled her¬ 
self with the thought that Mary is our Mother, and 
thinking thus tried to deserve her care and pro¬ 
tection. As the result of this beneficent protection 
she was removed from the danger of worldly and 
careless companionship, which might have been most 
disastrous to her virtue and salvation. 

When St. Jane married she tried particularly to 
emulate the household virtues of the Blessed Virgin. 
In spite of her high social position she lived quietly 
and devoted herself to her household, her children, 
and her charities. Her time was divided between 
work and prayer. Later she followed the same rule 
of life when she became a widow. 

When in conjunction with St. Francis de Sales she 
founded the order of the Visitation she communi¬ 
cated this spirit of work and prayer to her spiritual 
daughters. She held up to them the retired life 
of the Virgin Mother, with its silent and modest 
virtues, and encouraged them to follow this high 
model. Though she prized the Rosary and other 
devotions in honor of the Blessed Virgin very 
highly, she was yet wont to say that the practice of 
humility, of self-denial, and of charity towards our 
neighbor is often more pleasing to the Blessed 
Mother than long verbal prayers. This spirit she 


318 


Practices of Devotion. 


left as a precious heritage to her order, and thus it 
still works on bringing blessings wherever it is 
‘established. 

Prayer of St. Jane Frances de Chantal. 

Remember, most compassionate Virgin, that no 
one has ever had recourse to thee without feeling 
the effects of thy goodness. In this confidence, Vir¬ 
gin of virgins, I present myself before thee with a 
humble desire that thou wilt deign to regard my 
miseries. Employ for me thy maternal authority 
near thy divine Son; supplicate him to grant me, 
not deliverance from my evils, unless it be his holy 
will, but the grace to live in his holy love, in his 
good and eternal pleasure, to which I sacrifice myself 
without reserve, in union with the sacrifice which 
thou didst make of thyself on the day of thy im¬ 
maculate conception, for which I wish to bless for¬ 
ever the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen. 


'THE FEAST OF OUR LADY OF MOUNT 
CARMEL AND THE SCAPULAR. 

(Feast July 16th.) 

HISTORICAL EXPLANATION. 

As men esteem it an honor to have persons 
who wear their livery, so also is our blessed Lady 
pleased that her clients should wear her scapular, 
as a mark that they have dedicated themselves 
to her service, and that they are members of the 
household of the Mother of God. 




Our Lady of Mount Carmel and the Scapular. 319 

Fathers Crasset and Lezzana, speaking of the 
scapular of Mount Carmel, relate that on July 
16, 1251, the Blessed Virgin appeared to St. 
Simon Stock, general of the Carmelites at Cam¬ 
bridge, and giving him the scapular, said that all 
who should wear it would be saved from eternal 
damnation. She said, “ Receive, my beloved son, 
this scapular of thy order, the badge of my con¬ 
fraternity, a privilege granted to thee and to all 
Carmelites: whoever dies clothed with it will not 
suffer eternal flames/’ 

On Mount Carmel the prophet Elias, and 
after him others, served the Lord day and night 
in holy meditations and prayers. It was there¬ 
fore after this mount that the order of the Car¬ 
melites received its name. 

Moreover, Father Crasset relates that Mary 
appeared to Pope John XXII. and commanded 
him to make it known that all those who should 
wear this scapular would be delivered from pur¬ 
gatory on the Saturday after their death; and this 
he did by a bull, which was afterwards confirmed 
by Alexander V., Clement VII., and other 
Pontiffs. Paul V. gives us to understand the 
same thing, and seems to explain the bulls of his 
predecessors, and prescribes in his the conditions 
on which the indulgences may be gained. These 
conditions are that each one should observe the 


320 


Practices of Devotion. 


chastity required in his state of life, and the reci¬ 
tation of the little office of the Blessed Virgin. 
Those who cannot do so must be exact in keeping 
the fast days prescribed by the Church, and ab¬ 
stain from meat on Wednesdays and Saturdays. 
Those, however, who cannot fast should say seven 
“ Our Fathers ” and seven “ Hail Marys ” several 
times a week, or do some other pious work under 
the' direction of a priest who has the special 
power to change these conditions of penance with 
regard to the scapular of Mount Carmel. 

In order to gain the plenary indulgences, be¬ 
sides confession and Communion, the members 
ought to visit a church or chapel of Carmelite 
friars or sisters and there pray according to 
the intention of the Sovereign Pontiff. Those 
who are unable to comply with this condition 
should have it commuted into some other pious 
work by a priest who has the faculty for that 
purpose. 

All who wear this scapular enjoy a twofold 
privilege through the merits of the Blessed Vir¬ 
gin, who is their protectress and advocate. One 
is of a spiritual nature, and the other is temporal. 
The first is founded on the words of the Blessed 
Virgin to St. Simon Stock: “Any person who 
wears this, if he dies a pious death, will not suffer 
in eternal fire. This is the sign of his salvation.” 


Our Lady of Mount Carmel and the Scapular. 321 

The Blessed Virgin will never allow, for so great 
is the power of her intercession, her trne disci¬ 
ples to undergo eternal condemnation; she will 
protect them efficaciously, especially at the hour 
of death, obtaining for them divine grace that 
they may escape the machinations of the wicked 
one. The scapular has been found to be a pro¬ 
tection in the trials of this life. In sickness and 
in the hour of death many have found that they 
have derived help in invoking the assistance of 
the most glorious Virgin of Mount Carmel. 

When any person receives the scapular for the 
first time, it should be blessed by a priest who 
has the proper faculty for doing so. It must be 
worn both day and night, hut may be taken off 
for any necessary purpose. It will not he suffi¬ 
cient to carry it about in the pocket or leave it 
in any special place, as may be done with beads' 
or crucifixes. The word “ scapular ” implies a 
habit which is worn over the shoulder, and as the 
scapular is called “ the little habit,” it must be 
worn in the same manner. 

A plenary indulgence is granted to the mem¬ 
bers of this association: 

1. On the day of their reception. 

2. On the feasts of the Blessed Virgin Mary of 
Mount Carmel, the 16th of July, or on the fol¬ 
lowing Sunday. 


322 


Practices of Devotion . 


3. On the Feasts of the Purification, Annuncia¬ 
tion, Visitation, Assumption, Nativity, Presenta¬ 
tion, and Immaculate Conception of the Blessed 
Virgin Mary. 

4. On the feasts of St. Joseph, St. Teresa, St. 
Ann, St. Andrew Corsini, St. Mary Magdalen of 
Pazzi, St. Angelus, 5th of May, St. Albert, 7th 
of August. 

5. At the hour of death, provided the sick per¬ 
son, having the scapular on, with sincere contri¬ 
tion, if confession be impossible, devoutly pro¬ 
nounce the most holy name of Jesus. 

Besides the scapular of Our Lady of Mount 
Carmel, also called the brown scapular, there are 
four other scapulars. 

The black scapular is worn out of devotion to 
the holy cross of Our Lord. This scapular is 
recommended by the Passionists. 

The blue scapular is worn out of devotion to the 
Immaculate Conception. Pope Pius IX. favored 
it with many indulgences after the definition of 
the doctrine of the Immaculate Conception. 

The white is worn out of devotion to the 
Blessed Virgin of Reward and out of devotion to 
the Blessed Trinity. 

The red in honor of the Passion of Our Lord, 
of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, and the compas¬ 
sionate heart of Mary. 


Our Lady of Mount Carmel and the Scapular. 323 

Until recently these five scapulars were usually 
sewn together and worn as one. But by a decree 
of his Holiness Leo XIII., dated April 27 , 1893 , 
the scapular of Mount Carmel can no longer be 
blessed with the others, but must be worn and 
blessed separately. 

Example. 

St. Teresa well knew that she had received all 
her graces, and above all, the gift of love, which 
made her beautiful soul so rich, through the hands 
of this most sweet Mother. And so, in order to 
testify her thankfulness to her most holy Mother, 
she did not know what more to do to love and honor 
her. From her early childhood, while still an in¬ 
mate of her parental home, she would go in quest 
of secluded spots where she might honor Mary by 
saying the Rosary and other pious prayers. On the 
death of her mother she hastened to present her¬ 
self before her Queen, and, with confidence and 
love, proceeded to offer herself up to be a daughter 
to her, protesting that from that moment she should 
be her only and her dearest Mother. In truth, in 
all her tribulations and in all her needs, the saint 
ever had recourse to Mary, as to her most loving 
Mother. It was with the special object of seeing her 
honored everywhere that she undertook the work 
of reforming the Carmelite order, whose glory it 
is to fight under the banner and the especial pro¬ 
tection of the Queen of heaven. 

Prayer to Obtain a Good Death. 

O Mary, sweet refuge of poor sinners and my 
tender Mother! when my soul must depart from this 
world, by the grief that thou didst experience in 


324 


Practices of Devotion. 


being present at the death of thy divine Son on the 
cross, I beseech thee to assist me with thy mercy. 
Banish from me the infernal enemies, and come 
then to take my soul and to present it to the Eternal 
Judge. My Queen, do not abandon me; it is thou 
who after Jesus must be my help at that dreadful 
moment. Ask thy Son that in his goodness he may 
grant me the grace to die while embracing thy feet, 
and to breathe forth my soul into his sacred wounds 
while saying: Jesus and Mary, I give you my heart 
and my soul. 

NO VENA TO OUK LADY OF MOUNT 
CARMEL. 

A DEVOTION FOR THOSE WHO WEAR THE 
BROWN SCAPULAR. 

(Novena begins July 7th and ends July 15th.) 

First Day. 

PREPARATORY PRAYER. 

0 glorious Queen of angels! most pure and ever- 
blessed Virgin Mary of Mount Carmel! powerful 
advocate of all those who wear thy holy scapular! 
faithful protectress of all the servants of thy Son 
Jesus Christ! I, an unworthy sinner, do this day, 
in the presence of thy beloved Son, my Saviour, 
choose thee for my patroness, that through thy 
intercession I may receive from him whatsoever 
grace may be necessary and profitable for me now 
and at the hour of my death. Amen. 

Our Father, Hail Mary, three times. 


Our Lady of Mount Carmel and the Scapular. 325 
PRAYER. 

0 most glorious and Blessed Virgin Mary of 
Mount Carmel! I, an unworthy wearer of thy 
holy scapular, confident, however, that the 
Church does not call thee in vain the “ Refuge 
of sinners,” do beseech thee to make me sensible 
of the favors thou hast conferred upon me by 
promoting the welfare of thy holy order, that, 
being truly contrite for past offences, I may, by 
thy aid and assistance, break the chains of my 
slavery and live henceforward in the happy lib¬ 
erty of the children of God. Through Our Lord 
Jesus Christ, who with the Father and the Holy 
Ghost liveth and reigneth, one God, world with¬ 
out end. Amen. 

Litany of the Blessed Virgin. 

Second Day. 

Preparatory Prayer, Our Father, Hail Mary, as 
on page 321+. 

PRAYER. 

0 almighty and eternal God, vouchsafe to im¬ 
part to us. Thy unworthy servants, a small portion 
of that heavenly grace with which Thou hast 
been pleased to sanctify Thy .servant Mary; and 
grant that, through her intercession and protec¬ 
tion, we may be shielded against all temptations, 
and be secure from all our enemies. Through 


326 


Practices of Devotion. 


Our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, who liveth and 
reigneth with Thee in the unity of the Holy 
Ghost, one God, world without end. Amen. 

Litany of the Blessed Virgin. 

Third Day. 

Preparatory Prayer, Our Father, Hail Mary, as 
on page 32 

PRAYER. 

Kemember, 0 most pious Virgin, it is a thing 
unheard of that thou hast ever forsaken those 
who have recourse to thee. Encouraged with 
this hope and confidence, my most dear Mother, 
I, a miserable sinner, cast myself at thy sacred 
feet, humbly begging that thou wilt adopt me as 
thy child forever, and take upon thee the care 
of my eternal salvation: do not. Mother of the 
Word Incarnate! reject my petition, but gra¬ 
ciously hear and grant it. Amen. 

Litany of the Blessed Virgin. 

Fourth Day. 

Preparatory Prayer, Our Father, Hail Mary, as 
on page 32J+. 

PRAYER. 

0 most glorious and ever-blessed Virgin Mary 
of Mount Carmel! I, thy unworthy child and 


Our Lady of Mount Carmel and the Scapular. 327 

client, sensible of the favors thou enjoyest with 
God, humbly present myself before thee, and beg 
that thou wilt intercede and obtain for me true 
contrition and repentance, an undefiled purity of 
heart, and a conscience free from sin and all 
offence against God. Direct me, I beseech thee, in 
all my actions during life, and in that awful mo¬ 
ment when my poor soul departs from my body 
conduct it into the presence of thy Son, there to 
sing his praises for ever and ever. Amen. 

Litany of the Blessed Virgin. 


Fifth Day. 

Preparatory Prayer, Our Father, Hail Mary, as 

on page 32J/.. 

PRAYER. 

0 most glorious Virgin Mother! who, by favor 
of thy divine Son, hast so great power in heaven 
and on earth, enlighten my blindness and 
strengthen my resolution. The zeal thou hast 
in promoting the welfare of thy sacred Order, 
and the part thou takest in seeing the grace of 
Our Eedeemer abound in us, give me a right to 
thy interest in this my request; and when that 
awful hour of death approaches, be to me, I be¬ 
seech thee, a tender mother, and by thy prayers 


328 


Practices of Devotion. 


dispose thy Son Jesus Christ favorably in my 
regard. Amen. 

Litany of the Blessed Virgin. 

Sixth Day. 

Preparatory Prayer, Our Father, Hail Mary, as 
on page 324-. 

PRAYER. 

0 most glorious and ever-virgin Mary of Mount 
Carmel! I offer unto thee this day all my thoughts, 
words, and actions. I am weak and infirm, de¬ 
jected and cast down at every tribulation, and 
terrified at the dismal prospect a review of my 
own interior gives me. All is misery, a continual 
propensity to vice and repugnance to virtue. 0 
Mother of mercy and Eefuge of sinners! thou wilt 
not reject a contrite and humble heart. Inter¬ 
cede for me, I beseech thee, that I may so live in 
this sinful world that at the hour of death I may 
be worthy to be admitted into the regions of 
bliss. Through Our Lord Jesus Christ, who 
with the Father and the Son liveth and reigneth, 
one God, world without end. Amen. 

Litany of the Blessed Virgin. 

Seventh Day. 

Preparatory Prayer, Our Father, Hail Mary, as 
on page 324- 


Our Lady of Mount Carmel and the Scapular. 329 
PRAYER. 

0 most holy Mary of Mount Carmel! pray for 
me, I beseech thee, that, through the merits of 
thy Son, I may enjoy perpetual health of mind 
and body, and that I may serve him faithfully in 
this life, and hereafter see, love, and enjoy him 
in the kingdom of his glory. Who with the 
Father and the Holy Ghost liveth and reigneth, 
one God, world without end. Amen. 

Litany of the Blessed Virgin. 

Eighth Day. 

Preparatory Prayer, Our Father, Hail Mary, as 
on page S2Jf. 

PRAYER. 

0 most glorious and ever-blessed Virgin Mary 
of Mount Carmel! faithful protectress of all those 
who wear thy holy scapular, behold thy poor ser¬ 
vant humbly prostrate at thy feet, deploring his 
misery and imploring thy prayers, and beseeching 
thee to protect him through the stormy ocean of 
this tempestuous world; hear my prayers, then, 
0 Refuge of sinners! and after this our exile show 
unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus, 
0 most clement, 0 most loving, 0 most sweet 
Virgin Mary! 

Litany of the Blessed Virgin. 


330 


Practices of Devotion. 


Ninth Day. 

Preparatory Prayer, Our Father, Hail Mary, as 
on page 

PRAYER. 

0 blessed finder of grace, Mother of life, 
Mother of salvation! may we through thee have 
access to thy Son; and that he who was given 
us through thee may receive us through thee, 
may thy integrity and innocence excuse before 
him the stain of our corruption; may thy abun¬ 
dant charity cover the multitude of our sins, and 
thy glorious fruitfulness supply our want of mer¬ 
its. Our Mother, our Mediatrix, our Advocate! 
reconcile us to thy Son, commend us to thy Son, 
present us to thy Son; by the grace with which 
thou art honored, obtain that he who through 
thee put on our weakness may through thee make 
us partakers of his bliss and glory. Amen. 

Litany of the Blessed Virgin. 

PRAYERS AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE NOVENA. 

0 God, who hast deigned to honor the order 
of Carmel with the glorious title of Thy Virgin 
Mother, grant the grace of her protection to all 
who celebrate this solemn commemoration, so 
that through her we may attain eternal happi¬ 
ness. Amen. 


Our Lacly of Mount Carmel and the Scapular. 331 

0 glorious Virgin Mary! Queen of Carmel, 
Mother of God and of poor sinners, special pro¬ 
tectress of all those who wear thy holy scapular, 
I supplicate thee, by the glory that has been ac¬ 
corded thee by the Incarnate Word in choosing 
thee for his Mother, to obtain for me the pardon 
of my sins, amendment of my life, salvation of 
my soul, consolation in my pains, and in particu¬ 
lar the grace I ask in this novena, provided it be 
conformable to the will of thy divine Son. 
Amen. 


A SPECIAL PRAYER TO OUR LADY OF 
MOUNT CARMEL. 

0 most beautiful flower of Mount Carmel, 
fruitful wine, splendor of heaven, blessed Mother 
of the Son of God, immaculate Virgin, assist me 
in this my necessity. 0 Star of the Sea, help me, 
and show me herein thou art my Mother. 

0 holy Mary, Mother of God, Queen of heaven 
and earth, I humbly beseech thee from the bot¬ 
tom of my heart to succor me in this necessity: 
there are none that can withstand thy power. 
Oh, show me herein thou art my Mother. 

0 Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who 
have recourse to thee. (Three times.) 

Sweet Mother, I place this cause in thy hands. 
(Three times.) 


332 


Practices of Devotion. 


THE FEAST OF THE ASSUMPTION. 

(August 15th.) 

HISTORICAL EXPLANATION. 

The learned historians Colvenerius, Surius, and 
others hold that this feast originated with the 
Apostles. Even in the time of Constantine, the 
first Christian emperor, it was celebrated with 
great splendor (330). 

“It is certain,” writes Jacob Pamelins, choir¬ 
master at Bruges, “ that the Feast of the As¬ 
sumption was celebrated in the days of St. 
Jerome and St. Augustine.” St. Athanasius, St. 
Andrew of Crete, and others confirm this opinion. 

At the request of the Emperor Mauritius, Ni- 
cephorus tells ns, the feast was changed from the 
18th of January to the 15th of August (582). 

According to the testimony of the librarian 
Anastatius, Pope Sergius I. (687-701) issued a 
rescript ordering the manner of celebration, 
namely, as a feast of the first class, with proces¬ 
sions, litanies, and vigils. 

Pope Leo IV. further honored this feast in the 
year 847 by giving it an octave, a fast, and mak¬ 
ing it a holy day of obligation for the whole 
Christian world. 


The Feast of the Assumption. 


333 


NO VENA FOR THE FEAST OF THE 
ASSUMPTION. 

(Novena begins August 6th and ends August 14th.) 
First Day. 

Come, Holy Ghost, etc., as on page 231. 

0 Queen of all the virgin choir, 

Enthroned above the starry sky! 

Who with pure milk from thy own breast 
Thy own Creator didst supply; 

What man hath lost in hapless Eve, 

Thy sacred womb to man restores; 

Thou to the wretched here beneath 
Hast opened heaven’s eternal doors. 

Hail, 0 refulgent hall of light! 

Hail, gate sublime of heaven’s high King! 
Through thee redeemed to endless life, 

Thy praise let all the nations sing. 

0 Jesu, born of Virgin bright! 

Immortal glory be to Thee; 

Praise to the Father infinite 
And Holy Ghost eternally. 

GLORY OF MARY IN DEATH. 

She was well prepared to die. 

Consider how glorious Mary was at the hour of 
her death, because in life she was so well prepared 


334 Practices of Devotion. 

to die, by her most ardent longing to see her God 
and be forever united to her Son, and by the unap¬ 
proachable merit of her consummate perfection. 
Then, considering how different we are from Mary 
in our preparation for death we shall thus address 
her: 

Holiest Virgin, who, to prepare thyself for a 
holy death, didst live in ceaseless longing for the 
vision of thy God, oh! do thou, virgin Mother! 
take from us the vain desire of the frail things 
of earth. 

Hail Mary, three times. 

Holiest Virgin,' who, to prepare thyself to die 
holily, didst in life sigh to be united forever to 
thy Son Jesus, oh! obtain for us fidelity to Jesus 
even unto death. 

Hail Mary, three times. 

Holiest Virgin, who, to die holily, didst make it 
thy care to acquire a degree of merit and virtue 
unapproachable by any other than thyself, oh! 
intercede for us that we may know that virtue 
and the grace of God alone are the road that leads 
to salvation. 

Hail Mary, three times. 

Now we will raise our voices in praise of Mary, 
who was so careful in preparing for death; and while 
we magnify her glory in union with the nine choirs 
of angels, who made her escort on her assumption 
into heaven, we shall say with the first choir: 

The Litany of the Blessed Virgin and afterwards: 


The Feast of the Assumption. 335 

V. The holy Mother of God is exalted 

R. High above the angel choirs to the heavenly 
kingdom. 

Let us Pray. 

We beseech Thee, Lord, pardon the shortcom¬ 
ings of Thy servants, that we, who by our own 
works are not able to please Thee, may be saved 
by the intercession of the Mother of Thy Son, 
Our Lord Jesus Christ. 

“ God, who through,” etc., and “ 0 God, the 
Pastor,” etc., as on page 231f. 

Second Day. 

Come, Holy Ghost, etc., as on page 231; 0 
Queen of all the virgin choir, etc., as on page 333. 

GLORY OF MARY IN DEATH. 

She died in the midst of the Apostles and in the 
presence of her Son Jesus. 

Consider how glorious Mary was at the hour of 
her death, comforted, according to the holy doctors 
of the Church, not only by the Apostles and saints, 
but also by her Son Jesus; and while we contemplate 
the unspeakable joy which she experienced in that 
hour through so extraordinary a favor, let us have 
recourse to her, saying: 

Glorious Virgin, who for thy consolation didst 
deserve to die in the company of the Apostles and 


336 


Practices of Devotion. 


saints, oh! may we feel thee nigh when we breathe 
forth our souls, and may our holy patrons too be 
there to lend their aid. 

Hail Mary, three times. 

Glorious Virgin, who, at the moment of thy 
death, wast comforted by the sight of thy dear 
Son Jesus, oh! pray for us that at that awful mo¬ 
ment we too may be comforted by receiving Jesus 
in the most holy Viaticum. 

Hail Mary, three times. 

Glorious Virgin, who in the arms of Jesus didst 
give up thy spirit, aid us that we may also give up 
our souls in the arms of the same dear Lord, with 
this one desire, that his most holy will may be 
forever done in us. 

Hail Mary, three times. 

Let us magnify Our Lady’s glory, assisted at her 
death by her Son Jesus and his Apostles, joining in 
jubilee at her triumph with the second choir of the 
heavenly host, saying: 

The Litany, etc. 

The holy Mother of God is exalted, etc., as on 
page 335. 


Third Day. 


Come, Holy Ghost, etc., as on page 231 ; 0 
Queen of all the virgin choir, etc., as on page 333. 


The Feast of the Assumption. 


337 


GLORY OF MARY IN DEATH. 

She died in an ecstasy of love. 

Consider how glorious Mary was in her death, for 
she breathed forth her soul in an ecstasy of divine 
love. Wherefore, with eager longing to gather 
strength from that all-holy fire of love, let us have 
recourse to her, saying: 

Mary, happiest Virgin, who didst give up thy 
mortal life through the vehemence of thy love for 
God, make it thy care that in our hearts, as God 
doth will, there be lit up this living fire of his 
love. 

Hail Mary, three times. 

Mary, happiest Virgin, who, dying of pure love 
for God, didst show what our love for God should 
be, oh! pray for us, that we may never leave our 
God in life or death. 

Hail Mary, three times . 

Mary, happiest Virgin, in leaving this mortal 
life through an ecstasy of love thou didst make 
known the fire which ever burned within thy 
breast, oh! pray for us, that at least one spark of 
that same fire may burn in us, giving us true sor¬ 
row for our sins. 

Hail Mary, three times. 

With the third choir of the angels let us exalt the 
ineffable glory of Mary, inflamed with burning love 
for God, saying: 


338 


Practices of Devotion. 


The Litany, etc. 

The holy Mother of God is exalted, etc., as on 
page 335. 

Fourth Day. 

Come, Holy Ghost, etc., as on page 231; O 
Queen of all the virgin choir, etc., as on page 333 . 

GLORY OF MARY AFTER DEATH. 

In her dead tody. 

Consider how glorious Mary was after her death 
in her dead body; for from her body, clothed with 
majesty, most wondrous lustre shone, while it 
diffused around odors of sanctity, breathing the 
fragrance of paradise and by its mere presence 
working innumerable miracles. Then conscious of 
our many miseries, let us thus entreat her: 

Lady unsullied, who by thy virginal purity 
didst merit the glory of being so bright and so* 
majestic in thy body after death, oh! obtain for 
us the strength to detach ourselves from every 
foul spirit of impurity. 

Hail Mary, three times. 

Lady unsullied, who through thy rare virtue 
didst exhale from thy dead body the sweet fra¬ 
grance of paradise, make it thy care that by our 
life we may both edify our neighbor and never 
more by our bad example become a stumbling- 
block to others. 

Hail Mary, three times. 


The Feast of the Assumption. 339 

Lady unsullied, at the sight of whose sacred 
body were healed innumerable maladies, may thy 
prayers heal all our spiritual ills. 

Hail Mary, three times. 

Let us rejoice at the glory given to the dead body 
of Mary, while with the fourth choir of the angels 
we exalt her majesty, saying: 

The Litany, etc. 

The holy Mother of God is exalted, etc., as on 
page 335. 


Fifth Day. 

* Come, Holy Ghost, etc., as on page 231; 0 
Queen of all the virgin choir, etc., as on page 333 . 

GLORY OF MARY AFTER DEATH. 

In the resurrection of her body. 

Consider how glorious Mary was after death, 
since by the power of the Most High her sacred 
body, raised to life, acquired in an instant the gifts 
of brightness, subtlety, agility, and impassibility; 
and, filled with consolation at the excellence of her 
surpassing glory, let us thus invoke her: 

Lady exalted, who by thy God wast so glori¬ 
ously raised to life, help us so to live on earth 
that we, too, like thee, may rise again on the last 
judgment day. 

Hail Mary, three times. 

Lady exalted, whose risen body was endowed 


340 


Practices of Devotion. 


with the gifts of brightness and subtlety, by the 
bright example and the humility of thy life on 
earth, oh! take from us all movements of dis¬ 
dain and scorn, that, freed from the trammels of 
self-love, our souls may be adorned with holy 
humility. 

Hail Mary, three times. 

Lady exalted, God made thy risen body glorious 
with the gifts of agility and impassibility, because 
great was thy spiritual zeal and patience while 
on earth, oh! obtain for us courage to mortify 
with vigor our bodies, and to curb with patience 
our headstrong passions. * 

Hail Mary, three times. 

Let us give to Mary the praise which is due to her 
and magnify the glory which adorns her risen body, 
while with the fifth choir of the angels we honor 
her, saying: 

The Litany, etc. 

The holy Mother of God is exalted, etc., as on 
page 335. 

Sixth Day. 

Come, Holy Ghost, etc., as on page 231 ; 0 
Queen of all the virgin choir, etc., as on page 333. 

GLORY OF MARY AFTER DEATH. 

In her assumption into heaven. 

Consider how Mary was gloriously taken up to 
heaven, for she was escorted by legions of the 


The Feast of the Assumption. 341 

heavenly hosts and by blessed souls delivered by her 
merits from purgatory; and, joining in the majesty 
of her triumph, let us with all humility offer to her 
our supplications: 

Great Queen, assumed so royally into the king¬ 
dom of eternal peace, oh! take from us all sordid 
earthly thoughts, and give us grace to fix our 
hearts firmly on the contemplation of the change¬ 
less bliss of heaven. 

Hail Mary, three times. 

Great Queen, who in thy assumption into 
heaven wast surrounded by the heavenly hosts, 
obtain for us strength to master Satan’s wiles and 
to lend a docile ear to the good counsels of that 
blessed Spirit who directs our path and aids our 
tottering steps. 

Hail Mary, three times. 

Great Queen, by the glory which thou didst 
enjoy in thy assumption into heaven from the 
company of the souls drawn by thy merits out of 
purgatory, obtain for us, that, freed from the 
slavery of sin, we may deserve to praise thee for 
all eternity. 

Hail Mary, three times. 

Let us not cease to applaud Mary’s royal triumph 
and the extraordinary glory which she obtained in 
her solemn assumption into heaven, but with the 
sixth choir of the angels let us honor her, saying: 

The Litany, etc. 


342 Practices of Devotion. 

The holy Mother of God is exalted, etc., as on 
page 335 . 

Seventh Day. 

Come, Holy Ghost, etc., as on page 231; 0 
Queen of all the virgin choir, etc., as on page 333. 

GLORY OF MARY AFTER DEATH. 

In her assumption into heaven. 

Consider how glorious Mary is in heaven, where, 
as Queen of the universe, she is enthroned, and 
from countless hosts of angels and of saints is ever 
receiving homage and veneration. Wherefore, 
bending before her royal throne, we, too, implore her 
aid: 

Sovereign Queen of the universe, who, through 
thy incomparable merit, art raised to such high 
glory in heaven, oh!, in thy pity, look down on us 
and on our miseries, and with the gentle sway of 
thy protection rule over us. 

Hail Mary, three times. 

Sovereign Queen of the universe, who on thy 
throne art ever receiving worship and homage 
from all the heavenly hosts, suffer us, we beseech 
thee, to address thee, and grant that our invoca¬ 
tions may be made with such reverence as befits 
thy dignity and greatness. 

Hail Mary, three times. 

Sovereign Queen of the universe, by that glory 


The Feast of the Assumption. 343 

which, accrues to thee from thy preeminent dig¬ 
nity in heaven, vouchsafe to take us for thy ser¬ 
vants, and obtain for us that we may be quick 
and ready in the faithful observance of the com¬ 
mands of our God and Lord. 

Hail Mary, three times. 

Let us enter in some way into the joy which angels 
feel while they praise Mary, and be exceedingly 
glad, because we know that she is raised to the dig¬ 
nity of Queen of the universe, while with the seventh 
choir of the angels we say: 

The Litany, etc. 

The holy Mother of God is exalted, etc., as on 
page 335. 

Eighth Day. 

Come, Holy Ghost, etc., as on page 231; 0 
Queen of all the virgin choir, etc., as on page 333. 

GLORY OF MARY AFTER DEATH. 

From the crown which adorns her brow. 

Consider how glorious Mary is in heaven from the 
royal diadem wherewith her divine Son hath 
crowned her, and from the vast knowledge which she 
has of the deep mysteries of God, past, present, and 
to come; and, full of reverence for the incomparable 
honors bestowed upon our great Queen, let us have 
recourse to her, saying: 

Peerless Queen, who in heaven on high wast 
crowned with a priceless royal diadem by thy 


344 


Practices of Devotion. 


divine Son, make ns share thy matchless virtues, 
that, purified in heart and mind, we may he 
worthy to wear a crown with thee in paradise. 

Hail Mary, three times. 

Peerless Queen, by that wide knowledge of all 
things in and on earth granted thee, for thy 
glory’s sake win pardon for our past offences, and 
never let us anger thee again by forward tongue 
or wanton thought. 

Hail Mar}r, three times. 

Peerless Queen, who would see us pure and 
stainless that we may be fit to stand before thy 
God, obtain for us forgiveness of our sins, and 
help us ever in look and word and deed to please 
his heavenly majesty. 

Hail Mary, three times. 

Let us purify our hearts to give meet praise to 
Mary, and to the glory she possesses in that bright 
crown which decks her royal brow let us add these 
humble tokens of our love, while with the joy of the 
eighth choir of the angels saying: 

The Litany, etc. 

The holy Mother of God is exalted, etc., as on 
page 335. 


Ninth Day. 

Come, Holy Ghost, etc., as on page 231 ; 0 
Queen of all the virgin choir, etc., as on page 333. 


The Feast of the Assumption. 


345 


GLORY OF MARY AFTER DEATH. 

In her patronage of men. 

Consider how glorious Mary is in heaven by her 
patronage of men, and because she is able and most 
anxious to aid them in their needs. With most 
lively confidence, because for our patroness we have 
the very Mother of our God, let us with all our 
heart beseech her: 

Mary, our most powerful patroness, who in 
heaven dost glory in being the advocate of men, 
preserve us from our infernal foe, and place us 
in the arms of him who is our God and our 
Creator. 

Hail Mary, three times. 

Mary, our most powerful patroness, who in 
heaven art the advocate of men, and dost wish 
that all men should be saved, grant that none of 
us despair when we behold our past relapses into 
sin. 

Hail Mary, three times. 

Mary, our most powerful patroness, whose de¬ 
light it ever is, in the fulfilment of thine office, to 
he invoked by men, obtain for us true devotion, 
and make it thy care that we never fail to call 
thee to our aid in life, and, aboye all, at the awful 
moment of our death. 

Hail Mary, three times. 

Let us celebrate with all our heart the glory of 
Mary, and, full of consolation at the thought that 


346 


Practices of Devotion. 


we have in heaven an advocate, let us unite with the 
ninth choir of the angels in praising her, while we 
say: 

The Litany, etc. 

The holy Mother of God is exalted, etc., as on 
page 333. 

For making the above novena an indulgence of 
three hundred days every day, and a plenary indul¬ 
gence on the festival itself or on any day of its 
octave.—Pius VII., Aug. 4 and Nov. 24, 1808; Jan. 
11, 1809. 

MEDITATIONS FOR THE FEAST. 

i -1 

I i. 

Mary died; but how did she die? She died en¬ 
tirely detached from all created things; she died 
consumed by that divine love which during her 
whole life had always inflamed her most holy 
heart. 

0 holy Mother, thou hast already left the earth; 
do not forget us miserable pilgrims who remain in 
this valley of tears, struggling against so many 
enemies who wish to drag us to hell. Ah, by the 
merits of thy precious death be graciously pleased 
to obtain us detachment from earthly things, the 
forgiveness of our sins, love of God, and holy per¬ 
severance; and when the hour of death arrives, 
help us from heaven with thy prayers, and obtain 
for us that we may kiss thy feet in paradise. 


The Feast of the Assumption. 


347 


II. 

Mary died, and her most pure body was carried 
by the holy Apostles and placed in the sepulchre, 
■where it was guarded by angels for three days;, 
after which it was transported to paradise; but 
her beautiful soul entered the blessed kingdom at 
the very moment in which she expired, accom¬ 
panied by innumerable angels, and also accom¬ 
panied by her Son himself. When she had entered 
heaven, she humbly presented herself before God,, 
adored him, and with immense feeling thanked 
him for the many graces which he had bestowed 
upon her. God embraced her, blessed her, and 
declared her Queen of the universe, exalting her 
above all the angels and saints. But now, if, as 
the Apostle says, the human mind cannot com¬ 
prehend the immense glory which God has pre¬ 
pared in heaven for his servants who have loved 
him in this world, how great must be the glory 
which he bestowed on this most holy Mother, who' 
on earth loved him more than all the saints and 
angels, and loved*him with all her strength; so 
that when Mary entered heaven she alone could 
say to God, “ 0 Lord, if on earth I did not love 
Thee as much as Thou deservedst, at least I loved 
Thee as much as I could love Thee.” 


348 


Practices of Devotion. 


III. 

Let us rejoice with Mary at the glory with which 
God has enriched her. Let ns also rejoice for our¬ 
selves; for at the same time that Mary was made 
Queen of the world, she was also made our ad¬ 
vocate. She is so compassionate an advocate that 
she accepts the causes of all sinners who recom¬ 
mend themselves to her; and she also has so great 
power with our Judge that she gains all causes 
which she defends. 


Example. 

St. Charles Borromeo, Archbishop of Milan and 
Cardinal of the Holy Roman Catholic Church, takes 
a high rank among the devoted servants of Mary. 
This energetic shepherd who worked so hard and 
beneficently for his flocks during hard and bitter 
times, was convinced that the efforts for the con¬ 
version of sinners and the salvation of men can bear 
but little fruit unless we have the blessing from on 
high. With this thought he had constant recourse 
to Jesus and Mary. Even as a boy he visited daily 
a church dedicated to Mary. Her protection enabled 
him to withstand the temptations against chastity 
to which he was subject as a youth. He recited the 
Rosary every day and the Office of the Blessed Vir¬ 
gin and fasted, on the vigils of her feasts, on bread 
and water. If he was on the street or the highway 
when the Angelus rang he knelt down on the spot 
to say the prayer. He used the authority of his 
high position to spread the devotion to Mary. He 
ordered that an image of Mary be placed at the 
entrance of all the churches in the province to re- 


349 


The Feast of the Assumption. 


mind th e people that we must look for help from 
CjocI through her who is the chief source of his 
grace to men, and that we cannot otherwise enter 
the temple of eternal glory but through the inter¬ 
cession of the Blessed Mother, she whom the Church 
calls the Gate of heaven. How fruitful his devo¬ 
tion was, both for his people and for himself is 
shown by the great good he was enabled to ac¬ 
complish during life and by his personal saintliness. 

A Prayer to the Blessed Virgin. 

O thou most holy Virgin Mary, who dost evermore 
stand before the throne of the Most Holy Trinity, 
and to whom it is granted at all times to pray for 
us to thy most beloved Son, pray for me in all my 
necessities; help me, combat for me, give thanks for 
me, and obtain for me the pardon of all my sins. 
Help me especially at my last hour; and when I 
can no longer give any sign of the use* of reason, 
then do thou encourage me, make the sign of the 
cross for me, sprinkle me with holy water, and fight 
for me against the enemy. Make in my name a pro¬ 
fession of faith, favor me with a testimony of my 
salvation, and never let me despair of the mercy of 
God. Help me to overcome the wicked enemy; and 
when I can no longer say, “ Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, 
I place my soul in your hands,” say it for me; and 
when I can no longer hear human words of con¬ 
solation, then do thou comfort me. Leave me not 
before I have been judged; and may the divine heart 
of Jesus and the immaculate heart of Mary be 
known, praised, blessed, loved, worshipped, and 
glorified always and in all places. Amen. 

1. Indulgence of sixty days once a day. 

2. A plenary indulgence on the Feasts of the 
Nativity, of the Assumption, and of the Immacu¬ 
late Heart of Mary to all those who shall have said 


350 


Practices of Devotion. 


the above prayer every day during the year when, 
being truly penitent, after confession and Com¬ 
munion, they shall visit a church or an altar in any 
church dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary and 
pray for the intention of the Sovereign Pontiff. 

3. A plenary indulgence at the hour of death to 
those who during life shall have practised this pious 
exercise every day. 


THE FEAST OF THE NATIVITY. 

(September 8th.) 

HISTORICAL EXPLANATION. 

The celebration of the feast probably had its 
origin in the Greek Church after the Council of 
Ephesus convened to oppose the teachings of 
Nestorius, who particularly attacked the Mother 
of God, urging that she had no right to be called 
thus, as there were two separate natures in Christ, 
the divine and the human, and she was only the 
mother of the human. In the Western Church, 
where the heresies of Nestorius had but little in¬ 
fluence, its celebration began later. St. Ildephon- 
sus, who lived in the seventh century, mentions 
the feast, and collects, processions, matins, and a 
special preface for the Mass of this day were in 
existence in the time of Gregory the Great. 




The Feast of the Nativity. 


351 


NO VENA FOR THE FEAST OF OUR LADY’S 
NATIVITY. 

(Novena begins August 30th and ends 
September 7th.) 

NINE GREETINGS TO THE BLESSED VIRGIN. 

Come, Holy Ghost, etc., as on page 231. 

Most holy Mary, chosen and predestined from 
all eternity by the Most Holy Trinity to be the 
Mother of the only-begotten Son of the Eternal 
Father, foretold by the prophets, longed for by the 
patriarchs, desired by all nations, sanctuary and 
living temple of the Holy Ghost, sun without 
blemish, because conceived free from original sin, 
Mistress of heaven and of earth, Queen of angels, 
humbly prostrate at thy feet we give thee our 
homage, rejoicing that the year has brought 
round again the memory of thy sweet nativity. 
With all our hearts we pray thee to vouchsafe in 
thy goodness to come down again and be born in 
spirit in our souls, that, led captive by thy loveli¬ 
ness and sweetness, they may ever live united to 
thy most sweet and loving heart. 

Now, with nine distinct greetings, we shall go 
back in thought to the nine months thou didst 
pass within the cloister of thy mother’s womb, and 
say devoutly: 

1. We hail thee, Mary, who, sprung from the 


352 


Practices of Devotion. 


royal line of David, didst come forth from the 
light of heaven with high honor from the womb 
of -holy Anne, thy most happy mother. 

Hail Mary, etc. 

2. We hail thee, heavenly babe, white dove of 
purity, who, despite the infernal serpent, wast con¬ 
ceived free from the taint of Adam’s sin. 

Hail Mary, etc. 

3. We hail thee, brightest morn, forerunner of 
the heavenly Sun of Justice, who didst first bring 
light to earth. 

Hail Mary, etc. 

4. We hail thee, 0 chosen one! who, like the 
untarnished sun, didst burst forth into being in 
the dark night of sin. 

Hail Mary, etc. 

5. We hail thee, beauteous moon, who didst 
shed light upon a world wrapped in the thickest 
darkness of idolatry. 

Hail Mary, etc. 

6. We hail thee, strong infant, who, in thyself 
a host, alone didst put to flight all hell. 

Hail Mary, etc. 

7. We hail thee, fair soul of Mary, who from all 
eternity wast God’s and God’s alone. 

Hail Mary, etc. 

8. We hail thee, dear child, and we humbly 
worship thy most holy infairt body; we venerate 


The Feast of the Nativity . 


353 


the sacred swaddling-clothes wherewith they 
bound thee, the sacred cradle wherein they laid 
thee, and we bless the hour and the moment 
when thou wast born. 

Hail Mary, etc. 

9. We hail thee, beloved child, adorned with 
every virtue, immeasurably above all the saints, 
and, therefore, worthy Mother of the Saviour of 
the world; who, made fruitful by the Holy Ghost, 
didst bring forth the Incarnate Word. 

Hail Mary, etc. 

PRAYER. 

Most lovely child, who by thy birth hast com¬ 
forted the world, made glad the heavens, struck 
terror into hell, brought help to the fallen, con¬ 
solation to the sad, health to the sick, joy to all, 
we pray thee, with all fervent love, be thou born 
again in spirit in our souls through thy most holy 
love; renew our fervor in thy service, rekindle in 
our hearts the fire of thy love, and bid all virtues 
blossom there which may cause us to find more 
and more favor in thy gracious eyes. Mary! be 
thou Mary to us, and may we feel the saving 
power of thy sweetest name; let it ever be our 
comfort to call on that great name in all our 
troubles; let it be our hope in dangers, our shield 
in temptation, and in death our last murmur. 


354 


Practices of Devotion. 


May the name of Mary be honey in our mouths, 
melody in our ears, ecstasy in our hearts. Amen. 

Then say the Litany, and afterward: 

V. Thy nativity, 0 Virgin Mother of God! 

R. Hath brought joy to a whole world. 

Let us Pray. 

Grant to us, Thy servants, we beseech Thee, 
Lord, the gift of heavenly grace, that to those 
for whom the delivery of the Blessed Virgin was 
the commencement of salvation the votive festi¬ 
val of her nativity may give increasing peace. 
Amen. 

For making- the above novena an indulgence of 
three hundred days each time, and a plenary in¬ 
dulgence on any day during the novena or its oc¬ 
tave.—Pius IX., Jan. 5, 1849. 


MEDITATIONS FOR THE FEAST. 

i. 

Before the birth of Mary the world was lost in 
the darkness of sin. “ Mary was born and the 
dawn arose,” says a holy Father. Of Mary it had 
alre'ady been said: Who is she that cometh forth as 
the morning rising? (Cant. vi. 9.) As the earth 
rejoices when the dawn appears, because it is the 
precursor of the sun, so also when Mary was born 
the whole world rejoiced, because she was the pre- 


The Feast of the Nativity. 


355 


cursor of Jesus Christ, the Sun of Justice, who 
being made her Son, came to save us by his death; 
hence the Church sings, “ Thy nativity, 0 Virgin 
Mother of God, announced joy to the whole world; 
for from thee arose the Sun of Justice, who has 
given us life eternal.” So that when Mary was 
born, our remedy, our consolation, and our sal¬ 
vation came into the world; for through Mary we 
received Our Saviour. 


ii. 

This child being, then, destined to become the 
Mother of the Eternal Word, God enriched her 
with so great grace that in the first moment of 
her Immaculate Conception her sanctity exceeded 
that of all *the saints and angels together, for she 
received grace of a higher order—one that cor¬ 
responded to the dignity of Mother of God. 

0 holy child! 0 full of grace! I, miserable sin¬ 
ner that I am, salute and adore thee. Thou art 
the beloved one, the delight of God; pity me, who 
on account of my sins have been hateful and 
abominable in his sight. Thou, 0 most pure Vir¬ 
gin, knewest from thy very childhood so well how 
to gain the heart of God, that he never did and 
never will refuse thee anything, and grants thee 
all that thou askest. My hopes are therefore in 


356 Practices of Devotion. 

thee; recommend me to thy Son, and I shall be 
saved. 


hi. 

When Mary was destined to be the Mother of 
God, she was also destined to become the medi- 
atress between God and sinners. Hence the 
angelic St. Thomas says “ that Mary received suf¬ 
ficient grace to save all men,” and therefore St. 
Bernard calls her “ a full aqueduct, that of her 
plenitude we all may partake.” 

Example. 

At Courtrai, in Flanders, there was a criminal 
who had been condemned to death; but he was ob¬ 
stinate, and refused to make his confession. A 
Jesuit Father did all he could to convert him. This 
good Father entreated him, wept, cast himself at his 
feet; but seeing that all was time lost, he at length 
said, “ Now let us recite a Hail Mary together.” 
The criminal did so, and in an instant began to 
weep bitterly, confessed his sins with great com¬ 
punction, and desired to die clasping an image of 
Mary in his arms. 

Prayer of the Venerable Louis Blosius. 

Hail Mary, hope of those who are in despair, help 
of the destitute! Hail, thou whom thy Son so 
greatly honors, that whatever thou askest, thou dost 
at once obtain; whatever thou wiliest is at once done. 
To thee are the treasures of the kingdom of heaven 
intrusted. Grant, O Lady, that amid the storms of 
this life I may always remember thee. To thy char- 


The Rosary and its Feast. 


357 


itable mercy I commend my soul and body. O my 
sweet protectress, direct and protect me in every 
hour, in every moment of my life. Amen. 


THE ROSARY AND ITS FEAST. 

(Feast on the first Sunday in October.) 

HISTOKICAL EXPLANATION. 

It is well known that the devotion of the most 
holy Rosary was revealed to St. Dominic by the 
divine Mother herself in the year 1206, when 
the saint was in affliction, and bewailing, 
with his Sovereign Lady, over the Albigen- 
sian heretics, who were at that time doing 
great mischief to the Church. The Blessed 
Virgin said to him: “ This land will always 
be sterile until rain falls on it.” St. Domi¬ 
nic was then given to understand that this rain 
was the devotion of the Rosary, which he was to 
propagate. This the saint indeed did, and it was 
embraced by all Catholics; so much so that, even 
to the present day, there is no devotion so gener¬ 
ally practised by the faithful of all classes as that 
of the Rosary. It has the approval of the Church, 
and the Sovereign Pontiffs have enriched it with 
indulgences to spur the faithful to its frequent 


358 


Practices of Devotion. 


practice. Benedict XIII., on April 13, 1726, 
granted an indulgence of one hundred days for 
every “ Our Father ” and every “ Hail Mary 99 to 
all the faithful who, with devotion and at least 
contrite heart, shall say either the whole Rosary 
of fifteen decades, or a third part of it, that is 
five decades. And if they recite the whole or at 
least five decades for every day for a year, they 
can gain a plenary indulgence on any day of their 
choice after confession and Communion. 

To gain these indulgences, we must have a 
rosary that has been blessed by a priest who has 
the power to bless it; and in reciting it we must 
meditate on the mysteries of the birth, the Pas¬ 
sion, and the resurrection of Our Lord Jesus 
Christ in the following order for the fifteen dec¬ 
ades, each composed of one “ Our Father,” ten 
“ Hail Marys,” and one “ Glory be to the Father:” 

Joyful mysteries: The annunciation, the visita¬ 
tion, the birth, the presentation of Jesus in the 
Temple, the finding of Jesus in the Temple. 

Sorrowful mysteries: The sufferings of Jesus in 
the garden, the scourging, the crowning with 
thorns, the carrying of the cross, the crucifixion. 

Glorious mysteries: The resurrection, the ascen¬ 
sion, the coming of the Holy Ghost, the assump¬ 
tion of the Blessed Virgin, her coronation in 
heaven. 


The Rosary and its Feast. 


359 


When we recite only five decades, we meditate 
according to our devotion on the joyful, the sor¬ 
rowful, or the glorious mysteries; those who are 
unable to meditate on these divine mysteries may 
gain the indulgence by merely saying the Rosary 
devoutly. 

The faithful who are members of the Con¬ 
fraternity of the holy Rosary can gain many other 
indulgences, either by reciting the Rosary, or by 
performing other good works. 

His Holiness Pius IX., to encourage devotion to 
the Blessed Virgin, especially through the Rosary, 
in the recitation of which the mysteries of our 
Redemption are also considered, in May, 1851, 
confirmed all indulgences granted by his prede¬ 
cessors and added besides an indulgence of ten 
years and ten times forty days to those who recite 
the Rosary of five decades either in public, in 
private, or in company with others. And if per¬ 
sons have the habit of thus reciting it at least 
three times a week they can gain a plenary in¬ 
dulgence on the last Sunday of every month, pro¬ 
vided on that day after confession and Communion 
they visit a church or a public oratory and pray 
there for some time for the intention of his Holi¬ 
ness. 

These different indulgences are applicable to the 
souls in purgatory. 


360 


Practices of Devotion. 


Here we may call to mind what the Blessed 
Virgin said to St. Eulalia, “ that she was better 
pleased with five decades said slowly and devoutly 
than with fifteen said in a hurry and with little 
devotion.” It is, therefore, well to say the Bosary 
kneeling, before an image of Mary; and, before 
each decade, to make an act of love to Jesus and 
Mary, and ask them for some particular grace. 
It is also preferable to say it with others rather 
t'han alone. 

It was on the day of the celebration of the 
Feast of the Bosary, October 7, 1571, that the 
great victory of Lepanto was won. Don John of 
Austria, under the protection of the powerful 
Queen of the Bosar}q defeated the Turkish army 
and effectually checked the Mohammedan pres¬ 
tige in Europe. The Turks under Selim II., the 
son of the terrible Suleiman, had gathered their 
forces for the final overpowering of Christianity. 
They had 250 large ships and many smaller ones, 
manned by 120,000 sailors and soldiers who had 
the reputation of being unconquerable and had 
thus far been unconquered. The Christians had 
but 80,000 men and 300 ships. Nevertheless they 
succeeded in sinking 210 Turkish vessels, with a 
loss of only 15 galleys of their own. So great 
and beneficent a victory, won on a day when all 
the Christian world was keeping holy the Feast 


The Rosary and its Feast. 361 

of the Eosary by public processions and prayers 
and asking that the Mohammedan peril be turned 
back from Europe, was rightfully considered to be 
due to the protection and intercession of Mary. 
Pius V. therefore appointed a special day of 
thanksgiving to Our Lady of Victory. Gregory 
XIII. confirmed it and ordered also that in future 
in all churches where there is a chapel or an altar 
dedicated to the Rosary the Feast of the Rosary 
should be celebrated on the first Sunday in Octo¬ 
ber, which order Clement X. extended to all 
churches in Spain. 

When Charles VI. defeated 180,000 Turks at 
Temeswar in Hungary, on the Feast of Mary of 
the Snows, while almost at the same time a con¬ 
fraternity of the holy Rosary was entreating the 
favor of heaven by a public procession in Rome 
and moreover the Turkish siege of Corfu was 
raised in the octave of the Feast of the Assump¬ 
tion, Pope Clement XI. was moved to ascribe 
these wonderful victories to the protection of the 
Blessed Virgin also. He thereupon issued a bull 
ordering that henceforth the Feast of the Rosary 
should be kept in all the churches of Christen¬ 
dom to inflame the hearts of the faithful with 
gratitude towards the Blessed Virgin so that the 
memory of the help received through her may 
never be forgotten. 


362 


Practices of Devotion. 


Pope Benedict XIII. ordered that all these 
things should he included in the Roman breviary. 
Thus encouraged by the Church, the people have 
taken up this mode of prayer, carry their beads 
with them, and often use them in preference to 
a prayer-book. Pope Leo XIII. has made the 
Rosary his special devotion, and has year after 
year called the attention of the people to it. The 
Rosary is the holiest of the devotions, for it is the 
life of Our Lord and the Blessed Virgin. It is 
the most consoling prayer, for through the merits 
of Jesus Christ and the intercession of the 
Blessed Virgin we will obtain eternal salvation. 
St. Francis de Sales in his hard apostolic labors 
found time to recite the entire Rosary every day. 

St. Alphonsus Rodriguez found in the beads 
and the meditation made during their recitation 
all instruction in Christian perfection. 

In all our necessities we can recite the beads 
and ask God ? s assistance through Mary, Queen of 
the holy Rosary. 


Example. 

About twenty years ago there lived in the south 
of Italy a lawyer, Signor Bartolo Longo, who, far 
from being a saint, had forsaken his religion and 
indulged in spiritualism and magnetism. But dur¬ 
ing the month of October, 1872, he was miraculously 
struck by divine grace on the very spot on which 


The Rosary and its Feast. 363 

afterwards arose the sanctuary of Our Lady of 
Pompeii. 

One day he was wandering alone in a wild spot 
in the valley of Pompeii, meditating on the best way 
to atone for his sins, to find again the peace and 
happiness of the days when he was still true to his 
religion, when suddenly he heard a sweet voice say¬ 
ing to him: “Wilt thou find peace again? Spread 
my Eosary, for whoever propagates the devotion of 
the Eosary shall never perish.” He answered: “ If 
thy promise is sure, I am saved, and I am happy 
once more, for I shall spread thy Eosary.” 

He set about to spread the devotion to the holy 
Eosary of Our Lady of Pompeii, and in less than 
twenty years, on the very spot where he had heard 
the voice, there stood, commenced by poor peasants, 
finished, thanks to the offerings of the entire world, 
the sanctuary which Pope Leo XIII. has taken under 
his special patronage. Thousands of pilgrims from 
all parts of the world go there every year to venerate 
the picture of Our Lady which is there, framed in 
gold and precious stones. The Holy Father has at¬ 
tached numerous privileges to this sanctuary, and 
many wonderful graces have been obtained and many 
miracles performed. 

Prayer of St. Bernard. 

To thee we cry, O Queen of mercy! return, that 
we may behold thee dispensing favors, bestowing 
remedies, giving strength. Show us thy compas¬ 
sionate looks, and we shall be saved. 

0 sovereign Lady of all things, Saint of saints, 
our strength and refuge, God, as it were, of the 
world, glory of heaven, accept those who love thee; 
hear us, for thy Son honors thee and denies thee, 
nothing. 


f 


364 


Practices of Devotion. 


Thou art, O Mary! a field filled with treasures. 
Thou art full of virtues, full of graces. The enemy 
of salvation was never able to hurt thee, finding thee 
always surrounded by impenetrable bucklers, and 
fortified with all the arms that he feared. Thou 
alone didst possess all the perfections and all the 
merits of all the saints united. O our sovereign 
Lady and our Advocate, commend us to thy Son. 
Grant, O blessed one, by the grace which thou hast 
merited, that he who through thee was graciously 
pleased to become a partaker of our infirmity and 
misery, may also, through thy intercession make 
us partakers of his happiness and glory. 

CONFRATERNITY OF THE ROSARY. 

The object of this Confraternity is to recite the 
Rosary of the Blessed Virgin. To gain the indul¬ 
gences the members must recite the whole Rosary 
at least once a week, meditate on the mysteries, 
and carry beads that have been blessed. If pos¬ 
sible one should join a Rosary society, for in a 
society more benefits are gained than in offering 
petitions alone. Besides many of - the indul¬ 
gences granted to the Rosary were granted in 
view of the upited prayers of the members of the 
society. 

Indulgences. —Plenary, on reception, at the hour 
of death, on the first Sunday of the month, 
on the third Sunday of April, Easter, Aseen^ 
sion, Pentecost, Trinity, Corpus Christi, Christ¬ 
mas, Patronal Feast of the Church, Sunday after 



The Living Rosary. 


365 


Assumption, Nativity of the Blessed Virgin and 
Good Friday, and on all the Feasts of the Blessed 
Virgin, if they visit a'chapel of the Rosary. All 
the indulgences of the Stations of Rome, by visit¬ 
ing five altars in the church of the Rosary, or if 
but one, that altar five times. Many partial indul¬ 
gences. 

N.B.—The faithful, generally, on the usual 
conditions, gain a plenary indulgence in the 
church or chapel of the Rosary on Sundays in 
Lent, Easter, Pentecost, Trinity, Corpus Christi, 
first Sunday of October, and feasts of St. Dominic, 
St. Thomas Aquinas, St. Vincent Ferrer, and 
other saints of the Dominican order. 


THE LIVING ROSARY. 

The Living Rosary is formed by bands or circles 
consisting each of fifteen persons, who, every 
month, divide among themselves the fifteen mys¬ 
teries of the Dominican Rosary, so that each 
member will daily recite for a month a decade in 
honor of the mystery allotted to him. 

It is the duty of a member to recite daily one 
“ Our Father,” ten “ Hail Marys ” with a cc Glory 
be to the Father,” while meditating on the mys¬ 
tery that fell to his lot for the current month. 

In order that the members may be enabled to 


366 


Practices of Devotion. 


recite their respective decades in the right manner 
so as to gain the graces, benefits, and privileges of 
the Living Eosary, they must remember that this 
duty comprises three distinct parts, viz., oral 
prayer, meditation, and the use of blessed beads. 
The first is, as it were, the body; the second, the 
soul of this devotion; while the third is like the 
signs on the way along which it moves. The fol¬ 
lowing are the main points to be observed in each 
part: 

Oral Prayer .—The decade begins with the “ Our 
Father/’ continues with ten “ Hail Marys,” and 
ends with the “ Glory be to the Father.” No 
other prayers need be said, nor may others be 
said instead. Custom, however, has made it a 
rule that persons to whom the first joyful mystery 
is allotted recite, moreover, the “ Creed,” “ Our 
Father,” and .three “ Hail Marys ” (to ask for the 
divine virtues of faith, hope, and charity) before 
their decade. It is not enough to say this prayer 
mentally, going through the decade in the mind 
only; but the words must be clearly and distinctly 
pronounced with the lips. Still, to let some 
words or a few “ Hail Marys ” slip would not 
make one lose the indulgences. The prayer may 
be said in any respectful posture; it is not neces¬ 
sary to kneel. 

The Meditation .—To gain the indulgences one 


The Living Rosary. 


367 


must meditate on the mystery of his decade, not 
on any other. To meditate means here that he 
must with his thoughts dwell on the history, 
event, or fact of that mystery; turn it over in his 
mind; look in his mind at the persons concerned 
in the mystery, see their actions, hear their 
words, guess their thoughts and feelings, no¬ 
tice their surroundings and places, and ask 
himself what all that means. Then he should 
try to excite in his heart suitable and proper sen¬ 
timents and acts of faith, hope, charity, gratitude,, 
contrition, humility, fear of God, and make good 
resolutions, to be kept with the help of God. All 
this, however, is done in the mind, in the soul 
only; it is not to be spoken in words. Again, no^ 
special time is needed for it, as it can be made 
while reciting the “ Hail Marys,” by simply think¬ 
ing of the mystery and keeping it present before 
the -mind. 

Involuntary or only a few wilful and short dis¬ 
tractions do not deprive one of the indulgences; 
but frequent and long voluntary distractions do' 
certainly diminish the merit and fruits of the de¬ 
votion and endanger the indulgences. 

The Beads .—Members reciting their decade 
must hold in their hands a Rosary blessed with 
the special Dominican formula by a priest who has 
the requisite faculty. When several persons recite 


368 


Practices of Devotion. 


a decade or more together, it is enough that one of 
them have a blessed Eosary in his hand. This 
Eosary must have five or ten or fifteen decades, 
not more nor less, as the indulgence of the Domin¬ 
ican Eosary cannot be attached to Eosaries of 
three, six, seven, or only one decade. The beads 
must be solid and strong, so as not to break easily 
•or to wear away. 

Blessed Eosaries lose the blessing and indul¬ 
gences by the death of their owner; by being given 
away (unless one had them blessed for others, or 
with the intention of afterwards giving them 
away, in which case one may not use them first 
himself), sold, exchanged, or lent to another with 
the intention that he shall gain the indulgences 
attached (but not when lent and borrowed only in 
order to count the “ Hail Marys ”); also where a 
good number, say ten or more, of the grains of 
beads are lost or taken off without being supplied 
by new ones. 

The blessing and indulgences are not lost by a 
breakage (intentional or accidental) of the string: 
by the loss of a few beads; by replacing some bead 
in the wrong decade; nor by having some other 
indulgences attached to the same Eosary. Broken 
or lost grains may be replaced bv new ones without 
the Eosary losing the blessing if the new beads are 
less in number than the remaining old ones. 


The Living Rosary. 


369 


The cross or the crucifix and the three or four 
extra beads are not necessary; their loss does not 
impair the blessing. Special indulgences, distinct 
from those of the Rosary, may be attached to that 
cross or crucifix. 

It is a beautiful custom to have a devotion in 
common (in the church, chapel, school, or in a 
hall) on Sundays and special feast-days. The as¬ 
sembled members recite in common either a 
chaplet (five decades) or the whole Rosary (fifteen 
decades); sing hymns of the mystery of the feast, 
or of the Blessed Virgin, or of the saint of the day. 
Other prayers (litanies) in harmony with the char¬ 
acter of the feast may also be said. 

PRIVILEGES AND INDULGENCES. 

Community of Spiritual Goods .—Members of 
the Living Rosary have part in all the good works 
(Masses, functions,, and works of the ministry, 
vigils, fasts, penances, works of corporal and 
spiritual mercy) and merits of the whole Domin¬ 
ican order. 

Partial Indulgences .—To gain these it is neces- 
" sary to say the prayers prescribed while using a 
blessed Rosary. 

By daily reciting the monthly decade: one hun¬ 
dred days on every week day; seven years and 
seven times forty days on all Sundays and holy- 


370 


Practices of Devotion. 


days, also the suppressed ones, and during the oc¬ 
taves (that is, the next seven days) of Christmas, 
Easter, Pentecost, Corpus Christi; the Assump¬ 
tion, Nativity, and Immaculate Conception of the 
B. Y. M. 

For every “ Our Father ” and for every “ Hail 
Mary”: one hundred days. 

Plenary Indulgences .—These may all be applied 
to the souls in purgatory. Confession and holy 
Communion, and some prayers for the intention of 
the Holy Father, are required in each case. Those 
who go weekly to the sacraments can gain all the 
plenary indulgences falling within the week, with¬ 
out extra confession, provided they are in the state 
of gTaee. 

MEDITATIONS FOR THE ROSARY. 

THE FIVE JOYFUL MYSTERIES. 

I. The Annunciation. 

Let us contemplate in this mystery how the 
angel Gabriel saluted our blessed Lady with the 
title “full of grace,” and declared unto her the 
Incarnation of Our Lord and Saviour Jesus 
Christ. 

Our Father, ten Hail Marys, Glory be to the 
Father. 


The Living Rosary. 


371 


PRAYER. 

0 holy Mary, Queen of virgins, through the 
most high mystery of the Incarnation of thy be¬ 
loved Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ, wherein our 
salvation was begun, obtain for us, through thy 
most holy intercession, light to understand the 
greatness of the benefit he hath bestowed upon 
us, in vouchsafing to become our Brother, and 
giving thee, his own beloved Mother, to be our 
Mother also. Amen. 

II. The Visitation-. 

Let us contemplate in this mystery how the 
Blessed Virgin Mary, understanding from the an¬ 
gel that her cousin St. Elizabeth had conceived, 
went with haste into the mountains of Judea to 
visit her, bearing her divine Son within her 
womb, and remained with her three months. 

Our Father, etc. 

PRAYER. 

0 holy Virgin, most spotless mirror of humil¬ 
ity, by that exceeding charity which moved thee 
to visit thy holy cousin St. Elizabeth, obtain for 
us, through thine intercession, that our hearts 
being visited by thy divine Son, and freed from 
all sin, we may praise and give thanks to him 
forever. Amen. 


372 


Practices of Devotion. 


III. The Birth of Christ Our Saviour 
in Bethlehem. 

Let us contemplate in this mystery how the 
Blessed Virgin Mary, when the time of her de¬ 
livery was come, brought forth Our Redeemer, 
Jesus Christ, at midnight, and laid him in a 
manger, because there was no room for him in 
the inns at Bethlehem. 

Our Father, etc. 

PRAYER. 

0 most pure Mother of Cod, through thy vir¬ 
ginal and most joyful delivery, whereby thou 
gavest to the world thy only Son, Our Saviour, 
we beseech thee obtain for us, through thine in¬ 
tercession, the grace to lead such pure and holy 
lives in this world that we may become worthy 
to sing without ceasing the mercies of thy Son, 
and his benefits to us by thee. Amen. 

IV. The Presentation of our Blessed Lord 
in the Temple. 

Let us contemplate in this mystery how the 
Blessed Virgin Mary, on the day of her purifica¬ 
tion, presented the Child Jesus in the Temple, 
where holy Simeon, giving thanks to Cod, with 
great devotion received him into his arms. 

Our Father, etc. 


The Living Rosary . 


373 


PRAYER. 

0 holy Virgin, most admirable mistress and 
pattern of obedience, who didst present the Lord 
of the Temple in the Temple of God, obtain for 
ns, of thy blessed Son, that, with holy Simeon and 
devout Anna, we may praise and glorify him for¬ 
ever. Amen. 

V. The Finding of the Child Jesus in 
the Temple. 

Let us contemplate in this mystery how the 
Blessed Virgin Mary, after having lost (through 
no fault of hers) her beloved Son in Jerusalem, 
sought him for the space of three days, and at 
length found him in the Temple, sitting in the 
midst of the doctors, hearing them and asking 
them questions, being of the age of twelve years. 

Our Father, etc. 


PRAYER. 

0 most blessed Virgin, more than martyr in 
thy sufferings, and yet the comfort of such as are 
afflicted, by that unspeakable joy wherewith thy 
soul was filled when at length thou didst find thy 
well-beloved Son in the Temple, teaching in the 
midst of the doctors, obtain of him that we may 
so seek him and find him in his holy Catholic 


374 Practices of De votion. 

Church as nevermore to be separated from him. 
Amen. 

THE SALYE REGINA. 

Hail, holy Queen, Mother of mercy, etc. (See 
page 189.) 

V. Make me worthy to praise thee, holy Virgin. 

R. Give me strength against thine enemies. 

V. Blessed be God in his saints. 

R. Amen. 

Then say the following prayers: 

Hear, 0 merciful God, the prayer of Thy ser¬ 
vants, that we who meet together in the society 
of the most holy Rosary of the Blessed Virgin, 
Mother of God, may, through her intercession, 
be delivered by Thee from the dangers that con¬ 
tinually hang over us; through the merits of Our 
Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen. 

0 God, whose only-begotten Son, by his life, 
death, and resurrection, hath laid open to us the 
rewards of everlasting life, grant, we beseech 
Thee, that, pondering in our hearts these mys¬ 
teries in the most holy Rosary of the Blessed Vir¬ 
gin Mary, we may imitate what they set forth, 
and obtain what they promise; through the same 
Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen. 


The Living Rosary. 


375 


THE FIVE SORROWFUL MYSTERIES. 

I. The Prayer and Bloody Sweat of our 
Blessed Saviour in the Garden. 

Let us contemplate in this mystery how Our 
Lord Jesus Christ was so afflicted for us in the 
Garden of Gethsemani that his body was bathed 
in a bloody sweat, which ran down in great drops 
to the ground. 

Our Father, etc. 


PRAYER. 

0 most holy Virgin, more than martyr, by that 
ardent prayer which our beloved Saviour poured 
forth to his heavenly Father in the Garden, 
vouchsafe to intercede for us, that our passions 
being reduced to the obedience of reason, we may 
always, and in all things, conform and subject 
ourselves to the holy will of God. Amen. 

II. The Scourging of our Blessed Lord at 
the Pillar. 

Let us contemplate in this mystery how Our 
Lord Jesus Christ was most cruelly scourged in 
Pilate’s house, the number of stripes they gave 
him being about five thousand. 

Our Father, etc. 


376 


Practices of Devotion. 


PRAYER. 

0 Mother of God, overflowing fountain of pa¬ 
tience, through those stripes thy only and much- 
beloved Son vouchsafed to suffer for us, obtain of 
him for us grace to mortify our rebellious senses, 
to avoid the occasion of sin, and to be ready to 
suffer everything rather than offend God. Amen. 

III. The Crowning of our Blessed Saviour 
with Thorns. 

Let us contemplate in this mystery how those 
cruel ministers of Satan platted a crown of sharp 
thorns and cruelly pressed it on the sacred head 
of Our Lord Jesus Christ. 

Our Father, etc. 

PRAYER. 

0 Mother of our eternal Prince, the King 
of glory, by those sharp thorns wherewith his 
sacred head was pierced, we beseech thee, obtain, 
through thy intercession, that we may be deliv¬ 
ered from all notions of pride, and escape that 
shame which our sins deserve at the day of judg¬ 
ment. Amen. 

IV. Jesus Carrying His Cross. 

Let us contemplate in this mystery how Our 
Lord Jesus Christ, being sentenced to die, bore. 


The Living Rosary. 


377 


with the most amazing patience, the cross which 
was laid upon him for his greater torment and 
ignominy. 

Our Father, etc. 

PRAYER. 

0 holy Virgin, example of patience, by the 
most painful carrying of the cross, in which thy 
Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ, bore the heavy 
weight of our sins, obtain for us of him, through 
thine intercession, courage and strength to follow 
his steps, and bear our cross after him to the end 
of our lives. Amen. 

V. The Crucifixion of Our Lord 
Jesus Christ. 

Let us contemplate in this mystery how Our 
Lord Jesus Christ, being come to Mount Calvary, 
was stripped of his clothes, and his hands and feet 
nailed to the cross, in the presence of his most 
afflicted Mother. 

Our Father, etc. 

PRAYER. 

0 holy Mary, Mother of God, as the body of 
thy beloved Son was for us stretched upon the 
cross, so may we offer up our souls and bodies to 
be crucified with him, and our hearts to be 
pierced with grief at his most bitter Passion; and 


378 


Practices of Devotion. 


thou, 0 most sorrowful Mother, graciously vouch¬ 
safe to help us, by thy all-powerful intercession, 
to accomplish the work of our salvation. Amen. 

Salve Regina and prayers, as before. 

THE FIVE GLORIOUS MYSTERIES. 

I. The Resurrection oe Our Lord from 
the Dead. 

Let us contemplate in this mystery how Our 
Lord Jesus Christ, triumphing gloriously over 
death, rose again the third day, immortal and 
impassible. 

Our Father, etc. 

PRAYER. 

0 glorious Virgin Mary, by that unspeakable 
jo;y thou didst receive in the resurrection of thy 
divine Son we beseech thee obtain for us of him 
that our hearts may never go astray after the 
false joys of this world, but may be forever wholly 
employed in the pursuit of the only true and solid 
joys of heaven. Amen. 

II. The Ascension of Christ into Heaven. 

Let us contemplate in this mystery how Our 
Lord Jesus Christ, forty days after his resurrec¬ 
tion, ascended into heaven, attended by angels, 
in the sight and to the great admiration of his 


The Living Rosary. 379 

most holy Mother, and his holy Apostles and dis¬ 
ciples. 

Our Father, etc. 

PRAYER. 

0 Mother of God, Comfortress of the afflicted,, 
as thy beloved Son, when he ascended into 
heaven, lifted up his hands and blessed his Apos¬ 
tles as he was parted from them, so vouchsafe, 
most holy Mother, to lift up thy pure hands to 
him in our behalf that we may enjoy the benefits 
of his blessing, and of thine, here on earth and 
hereafter in heaven. Amen. 

III. The Descent of the Holy Ghost on the 
Apostles. 

Let us contemplate in this mystery how Our 
Lord Jesus Christ, being seated on the right hand 
of God, sent, as he had promised, the Holy Ghost 
upon his Apostles, who, after he was ascended, 
returning to Jerusalem, continued in prayer and 
supplication with the Blessed Virgin Mary, ex¬ 
pecting the performance of his promise. 

Our Father, etc. 

PRAYER. 

0 sacred Virgin, tabernacle of the Holy Ghost, 
we beseech thee obtain, by thine intercession, that 
this most sweet Comforter, whom thy beloved 


380 


Practices of Devotion. 


Son sent down upon his Apostles, filling them 
thereby with spiritual joy, may teach us in this 
world the true way of salvation, and make us to 
walk in the path of virtue and good works. 
Amen. 

IV. The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin 
Mary into Heaven. 

Let us contemplate in this mystery how the 
glorious Virgin, twelve years after the resurrec¬ 
tion of her Son, passed out of this world unto 
him, and was by him assumed into heaven, ac¬ 
companied by the holy angels. 

Our Father, etc. 

PRAYER. 

0 most prudent Virgin, who, entering the heav¬ 
enly palaces, didst fill the angels with joy and 
man with hope, vouchsafe to intercede for us at 
the hour of our death, that, being delivered from 
the illusions and temptations of the devil, we may 
joyfully and securely pass out of this temporal 
state, to enjoy the happiness of eternal life. 
Amen. 

V. The Coronation of the Most Blessed 
Virgin Mary in Heaven. 

Let us contemplate in this mystery how the 
glorious Virgin Mary was, to the great jubilee and 


The Living Rosary . 


381 


exultation of the whole court of heaven, and par¬ 
ticular glory of all the saints, crowned by her Son 
with the brightest diadem of glory. 

Our Father, etc. 

PRAYER. 

0 glorious Queen of the heavenly host, we be¬ 
seech thee accept this Rosary, which, as a crown 
of roses, we offer at thy feet; and grant, most 
gracious Lady, that, by thy intercession, our souls 
may be inflamed with so ardent a desire of seeing 
thee so gloriously crowned, that it may never die 
within us until it shall be changed into the happy 
fruition of thy blessed sight. Amen. 

Salve Regina, etc., as before. 

CONSECRATION TO OUR LADY OF 
THE ROSARY. 

(To be Renewed Once a Week.) 

Permit me, 0 immaculate Virgin, Queen of 
the holy Rosary, to choose thee this day for my 
mother, my patroness, my asylum, my refuge, and 
my protection. I wish to give thee my heart,, 
my soul, my entire being, and, after God, to love 
thee above all things. Happy he who conse¬ 
crates to thee his love. Art thou not, 0 Blessed 
Virgin, fairer than the angels, brighter than the 
stars, more brilliant than the sun? Art thou not 


382 


Practices of Devotion. 


a garden of delights? Dost thou not surpass the 
lily in splendor? Art thou not a perfumed 
flower, a fair dove, the beloved of Jesus, the cher¬ 
ished daughter, the mother without spot, the 
spouse chosen among a thousand? Who, then, 
can refuse thee his heart? I give thee, then, 
mine, because thou art fair, enriched with every 
grace, and filled with every perfection. I give 
thee, then, mine, 0 Mary, because gratitude urges 
me to it. 0 beloved Mother! deign to permit me 
to ask thee three things: First, a pure heart to 
love thee and to love Jesus; second, that I may die 
on a day that will be consecrated to thee, and 
in pronouncing perfect acts of love; third, the 
grace to be among the privileged choir who in 
heaven, at the foot of thy throne, will sing thy 
praises forever. 

0 Mother of God and my most dear Mother, 
hy the Heart of Jesus I beg of thee each time I 
shall say “ 0 Mother of God, remember me! ” to 
adore then for me the Heart of thy divine Son, 
and offer my unworthy one to him, asking par¬ 
don for all that is amiss in it—telling that God 
of love how much it desires perfectly to love 
him; and obtain by thy powerful intercession a 
love that may consume in it all earthly affections, 
and that he may replenish it to the full extent 
of its small capacity. 


The Living Rosary. 


383 


This, dear Mother, I beg through the Heart of 
Jesus, to which I am sure thou canst refuse noth¬ 
ing, and by which I know thou canst not be 
rejected. Oh! show, then, thyself a mother, and 
comply with the desires of thy poor, unworthy 
child. 

EASY AND SHORT METHOD OF SAYING 

THE ROSARY OF THE BLESSED VIR¬ 
GIN WITH THE MYSTERIES. 

Taking your beads in your right hand, by the 
medal or cross, bless yourself and say “ In the name 
of the Father,” etc. Then recite, by way of intro¬ 
duction, the “Creed,” one “Our Father,” three 
“Hail Marys,” and one “Glory be to the Father.” 
Express the mysteries appropriate to each decade in 
the middle of each “ Hail Mary ” immediately after 
the name of Jesus. 

Mysteries that are to be said, or at least meditated 
upon, whilst reciting the prayers: 

I. The Joyful Mysteries, for Mondays, 
Thursdays, and for Advent till the octave of the 
Epiphany inclusively. 

1. Whom, 0 Virgin, thou didst conceive at the 
message of an angel. 

2. Whom thou didst carry in thy womb on thy 
visit to Elizabeth. 

3. Who was born of thee at Bethlehem. 

4. Whom thou didst present in the Temple. 

5. Whom thou didst find in the Temple. 


384 


Practices of Devotion. 


II. The Sorrowful Mysteries, for Tuesdays, 
Fridays, and for Lent. 

1. Who sweat blood for ns in the Garden. 

2. Who was scourged for us. 

3. Who was crowned with thorns for us. 

4. Who carried his cross for us. 

5. Who was crucified for us. 

III. The Glorious Mysteries, for Wednes¬ 
days, Saturdays, Sundays, and the whole Paschal 
time. 

1. Who arose from the dead. 

2. Who ascended into heaven. 

3. Who sent the Holy Ghost. 

4. Who took thee up into heaven. 

5. Who crowned thee Queen of heaven. 


THE FEAST OF THE PRESENTATION. 
(November 21st.) 

HISTORICAL EXPLANATION. 

This feast was celebrated in the Eastern Church 
long before it was introduced into the Western. 
The Emperor Emanuel Comnenus introduced it 
into the Greek Church as a general feast. The 
Ambassador of Charles V., king of France, urged 



The Feast of the Presentation. 385 

its celebration in the Western Church also. King 
Charles presented the matter to Pope Gregory 
XI., who was then living in Avignon, and the 
Pope had the feast celebrated, for the first time, 
in his own chapel in the year 1372. It spread 
over all France, and in 1460 Duke William of 
Saxony asked for its extension to his country, 
which was granted by Pope Pius II. and also by 
Pope Paul II. 

Finally Sixtus V. in the year 1585 ordered it to 
be celebrated by the whole Church. 

NOVENA FOR THE FEAST OF THE 
PRESENTATION OF MARY. 

(Novena begins November 12th and ends 
November 20th.) 

Recite daily nine times the “ Hail Mary ”; then 
say the following prayer: 

0 beloved Mother of God, most amiable child 
Mary, thou didst present thyself in the Temple, 
and with promptitude and without reserve didst 
consecrate thyself to the glory and love of God; 
could I but offer thee this day the first years of 
my life, to devote myself without reserve to thy 
service, my holy and most sweet Lady! But it 
is now too late to do this; for, unfortunate crea¬ 
ture that I am, I have lost many years in the ser¬ 
vice of the world and my own caprices, and have 


386 


Practices of Devotion. 


lived in almost entire forgetfulness of thee and 
of God. “ Woe to that time in which I did not 
love thee!” But it is better to begin late than 
not at all. Behold, 0 Mary, I this day present 
myself to thee, and I offer myself without reserve 
to thy service for the long or short time that I 
still have to live in this world; and, in union with 
thee, I renounce all creatures, and devote myself 
entirely to the love of my Creator. I consecrate 
my mind to thee, 0 Queen, that it may always 
dwell on the love that thou deservest; my tongue, 
that it may praise thee; my heart, that it may love 
thee. Do thou accept, 0 most holy Virgin! the 
offering which this miserable sinner now makes 
thee; accept it, I beseech thee, by the consolation 
that thy heart experienced when thou didst give 
thyself to God in the Temple. But, since I 
enter thy service late, it is reasonable that I 
should redouble my acts of homage and love, 
thereby to compensate for lost time. Do thou 
help my weakness with thy powerful interces¬ 
sion, 0 Mother of mercy! by obtaining me perse¬ 
verance from thy Jesus and strength to be always 
faithful to thee until death, that, thus always 
serving thee in life, I may praise thee in paradise 
for all eternity. Amen. 

For making a novena in honor of the presentation 
of Our Lady in the Temple an indulgence is granted 


The Feast of the Presentation. 


387 


of three hundred days each day, and a plenary indul¬ 
gence during the course of the novena or on one of 
the eight days immediately following it.—Pius IX., 
Jan. 5, 1849, and Jan. 28, 1850. 

MEDITATION FOR THE FEAST. 


i. 

The holy child Mary had hardly attained the 
age of three years when she entreated her holy 
parents to take her to the Temple, according to 
the promise which they had made. The ap¬ 
pointed day having arrived, the immaculate young 
Virgin left Nazareth with St. Joachim and St. 
Anne; a choir of angels also accompanied that holy 
child, who was destined to become the Mother 
of their Creator. “ Go,” says St. Germanus, “ go, 
0 Blessed Virgin, to the house of the Lord, to 
await the coming of the Holy Ghost, who will 
make thee the Mother of the Eternal Word.” 

ii. 

When the holy company had reached the Tem¬ 
ple of Jerusalem, the blessed child turned to her 
parents, and kneeling, kissed their hands, asked 
their blessing, and, without looking back, as¬ 
cended the steps of the Temple, and renouncing 
all earthly things, and all that the world could 
give her, she offered and consecrated herself with- 


388 


Practices of Devotion. 


out reserve to God. The life of Mary in the 
Temple was thenceforward but one continual ex¬ 
ercise of love and offering of her whole self to her 
Lord. She advanced from hour to hour, nay, 
even from moment to moment, in all virtues, for¬ 
tified, it is true, by divine grace, but always 
exerting herself with her whole strength to cor¬ 
respond to this grace. Mary herself said, in a 
vision to St. Elizabeth of Hungary, “ Thou think- 
est, perhaps, that I obtained grace and virtues 
without effort. Know that I received no graees 
from God without great labor, constant prayer, 
ardent desires, and many tears and mortifica¬ 
tions.” 


hi. 

Thus in the Temple the tender Virgin Mary 
prayed without ceasing. And seeing that the 
human race was lost and hateful to God, she prin¬ 
cipally prayed for the coming of the Messias, and 
ardently desired to be the servant of the happy 
virgin who was to become the Mother of God. 
But, 0 holy Lady, know that on account of thy 
prayers the Son of God hastens his coming into 
the world to redeem the world; and moreover 
know that thou art that blessed one who art 
chosen to be the Mother of thy Creator. 


The Feast of the Presentation. 


389 


Example. 

Father Joseph Jorio, the devout author of a book 
in praise of the Rosary called “ The Secret of Every 
Grace,” relates that St. Vincent Ferrer said to a man 
who was dying in despair, “ Why are you determined 
to lose your soul, when Jesus Christ wishes to save 
you ? ” The man answered that, in spite of Christ, 
he was determined to go to hell. The saint replied, 
“ And you, in spite of yourself, shall be saved.” He 
began with the persons in the house to recite the 
Rosary, when, behold! the sick man asked to make 
his confession, and having done so, with many tears, 
expired. 

The same author relates that in a late earthquake 
a poor woman was buried under the ruins of a house 
which was overthrown. A priest had the stones and 
rubbish cleared away, and under them found the 
mother with her children in her arms, alive and un¬ 
injured. On being asked what devotion she had 
practised, she replied that she had never omitted 
saying the Rosary and visiting the altar of our 
blessed Lady. 

He also relates that another woman lived in 
sin, fancying it was the only means by which she 
could gain her livelihood. She was advised to 
recommend herself to Mary by saying the Rosary. 
She did so; and behold one night the divine Mother 
appeared to her and said, “ Abandon sin; and as to 
thy support, trust in me, I will provide for that.” 
In the morning she went to confession, changed her 
life, and the Most Blessed Virgin amply supplied 
her wants. 


Prayer. 

0 beloved of God, most holy child, thou prayest 
for all: pray also for me. Thou didst consecrate thy 


390 


Practices of Devotion. 


entire self from thy very childhood to the love of 
thy God: obtain that I, during the time that I have 
yet to be on earth, may live for God alone. On this 
day, in union with thee, I renounce all creatures, 
and consecrate myself to the love of my Lord. I 
also offer myself to thee, my Queen, to serve thee al¬ 
ways. Accept me as thy servant in an especial man¬ 
ner, and obtain me the grace to be always faithful 
to thee and to thy Son, that I may one day praise 
thee, and love thee for all eternity in heaven. 


DEVOTIONS FOR THE MONTH OF MAY. 

INTRODUCTION. 

The faithful praise Mary three times daily in 
the Angelus. Not satisfied with this, Christian 
piety has dedicated a special day of the week to 
her, Saturday, while holy Church has ordered 
some feast in her honor in nearly every month of 
the year, for Mary, after God, is worthy of being 
the most beloved object of the human heart. 

But all this was not sufficient for the ardor of 
her devout servants. A whole month, the month 
of May, has been dedicated to her honor. 

In this month nature is at its loveliest, and in 
the beauty of her renewal invites the mind of 
man to a spiritual renewal. "It is not without 
a particular design of God,” says St. Gregory. 



Devotions for the Month of May. 391 

“ that the celebration of the Ascension of Onr 
Lord is in the springtime. Is there one whose 
heart in these days, when the Creator of the 
world presents himself as the conqueror of death 
and the subduer of hell, and all nature wakes 
from the grave and glows in youthful joy and 
strength, is not attracted irresistibly to the heav¬ 
enly life ? ” 

Inspired by the same sentiment Christian devo¬ 
tion has dedicated the loveliest month of spring 
to the Mother of God. The Blessed Henry Suso, 
who died January 25, 1365, kept a spiritual May, 
renewing his spiritual life by godly practices. St. 
Philip Neri, who died 1595, urged the keeping 
of the month by spiritual practices and by tem¬ 
poral works of mercy. 

Pope Pius VII., by a rescript of March 21, 
1815, solemnly sanctioned the devotion of the 
Month of May and encouraged it by enriching this 
devotion with many indulgences. To all faithful 
who, in church or at home, honor the Blessed Vir¬ 
gin by prayers and other virtuous practices, he 
grants three hundred days* indulgence and a 
plenary indulgence on the day on which they re¬ 
ceive the sacraments and pray for the needs of 
the Church and the intention of the Holy Pon¬ 
tiff. These indulgences can also be devoted to 
the souls in purgatory. 


392 


Practices of Devotion. 


THE MANNER IN WHICH WE SHOULD PRACTICE 
THE MAY DEVOTIONS. 

1. By receiving the sacraments during the 
month. 

2. By offering up all our actions daily to the 
Blessed Virgin and through her to her Blessed 
Son. 

3. By attending Mass every day if possible. 

4. By striving during this month in particular 
to root out an evil habit and acquire the virtue 
which is especially necessary to us. As, for in¬ 
stance, patience, chastity, and so on, and ask the 
intercession of the Blessed Virgin for this pur¬ 
pose. 

5. By reading one of the following meditations 
compiled from the writings of St. Alphonsus 
Liguori or St. Teresa every day. It may be pre¬ 
ceded by the prayer of St. Augustine and followed 
by the prayer of St. Alphonsus as given for the 
first day, adding the “Our Father” and “Hail 
Mary,” the Litany and the Rosary, as may be the 
individual preference. Or one may read from 
some other devout book and follow the spiritual 
reading with other prayers, according to special 
choice, but it is well to include the Rosary, what¬ 
ever else may be recited. 


Devotions for the Month of May. 


393 


First Day. 

PRAYER OF ST. AUGUSTINE. 

0 Blessed Virgin Mary, who can duly thank 
thee, or herald forth thy praises, who, by the 
assent of thy single will, didst rescue a fallen 
world? What honor can be paid to thee by our 
weak human nature, which by thy intervention 
alone hath found the way to return to grace and 
life? Accept, then, such poor thanks as we have 
here to offer, unequal to thy merits though they 
be; and, accepting our good desires, obtain by thy 
prayers the remission of our offences. Graciously 
hear our prayers, and obtain for us the remedy 
of reconciliation. May the offering we make to 
God through thee be acceptable in his sight; and 
may that be granted which we ask with trustful 
heart. Accept our offerings, grant us our peti¬ 
tions, banish our fears, for thou art the sole hope 
of sinners. Through thee we hope for forgive¬ 
ness of our sins; and in thee, most blessed Lady, 
is the hope of our reward. Holy Mary, succor 
the wretched, help the faint-hearted, comfort the 
sorrowful, pray for the people, shield the clergy, 
intercede for holy women; let all who celebrate 
thy holy commemoration feel thy protection. Be 
thou at hand, ready to aid our prayers and obtain 
for us what we desire. Make it thy care, Blessed 


394 


Practices of Devotion. 


Lady, to intercede ever for the people of God— 
thou who didst deserve to hear the Redeemer of 
the world, who liveth and reigneth forever and 
ever. Amen. 

ON THE MEANS OF PERFECTION. 

Perfection consists in the practice of two 
things—detachment from creatures and union 
with God. This is expressly taught us by Jesus 
Christ in these words: If any man will come after 
me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and 
follow me. (Matt xvi. 24.) 

As regards detachment from creatures, St. 
John says: Love not the world, nor the things which 
are in the world . . . For all that is in the world 
is the concupiscence of the flesh, the concupiscence of 
the eyes, and the pride of life. (I. John ii. 16.) 
So that all our imperfections arise from three 
kinds of inordinate love: the love of pleasure, the 
love of possessions, and the love of self-esteem. 
Upon these St. Teresa beautifully remarks: “It 
is just that he who adheres to things that are lost 
should himself he lost.” On union with God, 
the same saint tells us that true union is the 
union of our will with the will of God. 

PRAYER OF ST. ALPHONSUS LIGUORI. 

Most holy immaculate Virgin and my Mother 
Mary, to thee who art the Mother of my Lord, 


Devotions for the Month of May. 395 

the Queen of the world, the advocate, the hope, 
the refuge of sinners, I have recourse to-day—I, 
who am the most miserable of all. I render thee 
my most humble homage, 0 great Queen, and I 
thank thee for all the graces thou hast conferred 
on me until now, particularly for having deliv¬ 
ered me from hell, which I have so often deserved. 
I love thee, 0 most amiable Lady; and for the 
love which I bear thee, I promise to serve thee 
always, and to do all in my power to make others 
love thee also. I place in thee all my hopes; I 
confide my salvation to thy care. Accept me for 
thy servant, and receive me under thy mantle, 0 
Mother of mercy. And since thou art so power¬ 
ful with God, deliver me from all temptations, or 
rather obtain me the strength to triumph over 
them until death. Of thee I ask a perfect love 
for Jesus Christ. From thee I hope to die a good 
death. 0 my Mother, by the love which thou 
bearest to God, I beseech thee to help me at all 
times, but especially at the last moment of my 
life. Leave me not, I beseech thee, until thou 
seest me safe in heaven, blessing thee, and sing¬ 
ing thy mercies for all eternity. Amen. So I 
hope. So may it be. 

(Three hundred days’ indulgence each time.) 


396 


Practices of Devotion. 


Second Day. 

ON THE LOYE OF PLEASURE. 

The love of pleasure or self-gratification is to 
he overcome by detaching the heart from such 
things by means of internal and external mor¬ 
tification. 

By internal mortification is meant the regula¬ 
tion of the passions—the never doing of anything 
from self-love, vanity, caprice, or human motives, 
but solely to please God. We are apt to com¬ 
plain that, seeking God, we do not find him. 
“ Detach your heart from all things,” St. Teresa 
says. “ Seek God, and you will find him.” Other¬ 
wise the things we love will be continually draw¬ 
ing us off, and will prevent us from finding God. 

External mortification consists in detaching 
ourselves from the pleasures of the senses by 
mortifying them. 

St. Teresa has left us, on the subject of exter¬ 
nal mortification, the following excellent senti¬ 
ments: “To suppose that God admits to his 
friendship those who are ever seeking their own 
ease and comfort is absurd. The spirit of deli¬ 
cacy and ease corresponds not to the spirit of 
prayer. Souls that really love God cannot seek 
for repose.” 



Devotions for the Month of May. 


397 


Third Day. 

ON THE INTERIOR PASSIONS. 

The interior passions are of two kinds, the 
irascible and the concupiscible. 

Of the irascible the principal is the passion of 
anger, which is to be overcome by the virtue of 
meekness, and this is- to be exercised. Of the 
concupiscible , is all inordinate love for all sorts of 
persons, which is to be overcome by avoiding their 
conversation, affectionate expressions or letters, 
presents, jests, and everything else that is likely 
to excite the affections. St. Teresa says: “ Cease 
to expose yourself to evil occasions, and the soul 
will immediately return to love God.” 

“ Let your desire be to see God; your fear, to 
lose him; your joy, whatever can conduct you to 
him.” 


Fourth Day. 
on ANGER. 

The passion of anger is to be overcome: 

1. By never being angry with another. 

2. By conversing with all with equal mildness. 

3. By speaking in a subdued tone of voice, with 
a cheerful air and mild words, particularly with 
irritable and troublesome persons. 


398 


Practices of Devotion. 


4. By quietly bearing with the defects, injuries, 
and annoyances of others. 

5. By not being disturbed nor disheartened on 
account of our own defects, but by humbling our¬ 
selves, by calmly rising from them with an act 
of repentance and, thinking no more of the past, 
pursuing our career with greater fervor and 
greater confidence in God; and by doing this 
whenever we fall. 

6. By never speaking nor acting when the 
heart is disturbed. St. Francis de Sales says: “ I 
have made a league with my tongue never to 
speak when my heart is disturbed.” 

Fifth Day. 

ON THE LOYE OF PERSONS. 

In our relations with persons we should always 
endeavor to please God rather than them, because 
they in general love their own interests more 
than our advantage. We should never relinquish 
the practice of necessary virtues to suit their 
views. If they are relations and God calls us to 
a state of life of greater perfection, we should 
courageously leave them, obeying God rather than 
them. We should never involve ourselves in fam¬ 
ily affairs hurtful to us, unless obliged to do so 
by charity. We should consider in all things 
that the nearer persons are to us the greater be- 


Devotions for the Month of May. 399 

comes our responsibility of example and of char¬ 
ity towards them. St. Teresa says: “Because 
we do not interiorly give all our affection to God, 
so neither does God give us all the treasure of his 
love.” 

Sixth Day. 

ON SELF-WILL. 

Self-will belongs also to the concupiscible, 
which is to be overcome by obedience. “ Obedi¬ 
ence,” says St. Teresa, “ is the short way to per¬ 
fection; ” and she adds: “0 virtue of obedience, 
which canst do all things!” In like manner St. 
Catharine of Bologna said that obedience alone is 
more pleasing to God than all other good works. 
In practice, then, we must: 

1. Regulate ourselves in all things regarding 
the soul, however trivial they may be, by a com¬ 
plete surrender of our will to the will of God, by 
remembering that the station in life, the crosses 
and the mortifications which he chooses for us 
are far more useful for our salvation than any 
we can choose for ourselves, however good they 
may seem to us. 

St. Teresa says: “God requires nothing more 
of a soul resolved to love him but obedience.” 

2. We must obey our superiors in all things in 
which it is not evident that there is sin. 


400 Practices of Devotion. 

3. We must obey willingly, and not with sour¬ 
ness. 

Blessed Clement, of the order of St. Francis, 
one morning delayed going to the common table, 
that he might finish certain accustomed devotions 
to the Blessed Virgin; but she spoke to him from 
the image, and desired him to go with the others, 
as she was more pleased with obedience than with 
all other devotions. 

Seventh Day. 

ON PATIENCE. 

Self-will may further be overcome by being 
patient and rejoicing before God at being re¬ 
pressed, calumniated, or persecuted. St. Teresa 
said: “ Who is he that, seeing Our Lord covered 
with wounds and afflicted with persecutions, does 
not embrace or desire them? ” On this head the 
saints have frequently sought from God the grace 
of being persecuted for his sake. It is well, at 
least in meditation, to prepare ourselves to bear 
with oppression and exactions by anticipating 
whatever occasions may present themselves. 
Moreover, it is well to make no excuse or defence 
even when wrongly blamed, unless in case of 
scandal, or hindrance of the greater glory of God. 
St. Teresa said: “ Once not to excuse one’s self 


Devotions for the Month of May. 401 

advances the soul towards perfection more than 
many sermons.” 

Eighth Day. 

ON EXTERNAL MORTIFICATION. 

The senses may be mortified: 

1. The sight, by not looking on illicit, danger¬ 
ous, or curious objects; by walking with the eyes 
cast down; by observing modesty with ourselves 
in dressing or undressing, and in every other 
action. 

2. The hearing, by not listening to murmurs, 
immodesty, or news. 

3. The smell, by depriving ourselves of scented 
waters, perfumes, and other like luxuries. 

4. The taste, as regards the quantity of food: 
First, by not eating or drinking solely for the 
sake of gratification nor to satisfy the appetite, 
but only to afford sufficient support to nature; 
secondly, by always renouncing something at 
table for the love of God. As regards the quality 
of food: First, by not seeking for nice and deli¬ 
cate things, nor highly seasoned sauces and the 
like; secondly, by not complaining when our food 
is ill-done, cold, or insipid. 

5. The touch is to be mortified by not seeking 
too much ease in bedding, clothing, or furniture; 
by at least not complaining in sickness, fatigue, 


402 


Practices of Devotion . 


inconveniences, or interior trials, but offering 
them all to Jesus Christ. 

Ninth Day. 

ON RESTRAINING THE TONGUE. 

The restraining of the tongue by silence be¬ 
longs also to external mortification, which can be 
exercised: 

1. By speaking little and with consideration. 

2. By not speaking at all, at times, unless from 
necessity. 

3. By speaking frequently with God, and by 
introducing something spiritual into our dis¬ 
courses. St. Teresa said: “ In the conversations 
of the servants of God, Jesus is always present, 
and is much pleased that they should delight in 
him.” 

4. By not speaking to every one of our trials 
and temptations. St. Teresa says: “ Do not com¬ 
municate your temptations to imperfect souls, for 
you will do an injury both to them and to your¬ 
self. Communicate them only to the perfect.” 

5. By avoiding gossip and all unkind or idle 
speech. 


Devotions for the Month of May. 


403 


Tenth Day. 

LOVE OF POSSESSIONS. 

The second kind of inordinate love is the love 
of possessions, and this is to be overcome by pov¬ 
erty: 

1. By dispensing with what is superfluous and 
retaining only what is necessary, or, at least, by 
renouncing all undue attachment to what is pos¬ 
sessed. 

2. By choosing the meanest things. 

3. By rejoicing when even that which is neces¬ 
sary is wanting. St. Teresa said: “Poverty is a 
good that comprises all the goods of the world.” 
And in another place: “ The less we have here the 
more shall we enjoy in eternity.” 

Eleventh Day. 

ON STRIVING FOE SPIKITUAL TKEASURES. 

A great servant of God, Father Hyppolito 
Durazzo, of the Society of Jesus, used with good 
reason to say, as we read in his life, that men of 
the world never think that they have enough of 
the good things of this life, and are always en¬ 
deavoring to possess more; but with respect to 
the rest they say: “ The smallest corner of para¬ 
dise is sufficient for us.” Whereas, on the con¬ 
trary, he who truly loves God and not the world, 


404 


Practices of Devotion. 


ought to be contented with the least corner of 
the earth; hut for the good things of heaven he 
ought always to be striving more and more with¬ 
out ever resting satisfied. This good Father used 
also to say “ that to become a saint one need 
desire nothing but what is to be obtained through 
the sole desire to be pleasing to God.” 

Twelfth Day. 

ON CHARITY TOWARDS OUR NEIGHBOR. 

In order to overcome further the love of pos¬ 
sessions and promote the union of the soul with 
God, we must exercise charity towards our neigh¬ 
bor. 

As regards the interior , it consists in wishing 
him the same good that we wish ourselves; in not 
wishing him the evil we wish not for ourselves; 
in rejoicing in his good, and lamenting the evil 
which befalls him; although we may naturally ex¬ 
perience some repugnance in so doing. 

We must above all endeavor to render good for 
evil, at least to speak well of those who injure us, 
treat them with meekness and recommend them 
to God, turning away our thoughts from the an¬ 
noyances, harshness, and provocations which we 
seem to have received from them. 


Devotions for the Month of May. 


405 


Thirteenth Day. 

ON EXTERIOR CHARITY. 

As regards the exterior towards our neighbor 
we must: 

1. Not murmur against him, deride or laugh at 
him, but speak always well of him and defend, 
or at least excuse, his intention. 

2. We must console him under afflictions. 

3. We must succor him in his necessities of 
soul and body, particularly in sickness. 

4. We must condescend to our neighbor in all 
that is not sin. Hence as St. Francis de Sales 
admonishes, we must choose a proper time for our 
neighbor and for ourselves; and when we have 
been wanting in our behavior towards him, we 
ought to seek an occasion of meeting his wishes. 

5. We must not give our neighbor bad counsel 
or bad example. 

6. We must occasionally reprove him, but 
mildly and seasonably, and not when he is agi¬ 
tated with passion. 

Fourteenth Day. 

LOYE OF SELF-ESTEEM. 

The third kind of inordinate love is the love of 
self-esteem, and this is to be overcome by humil¬ 
ity, which is to be exercised: 


406 


Practices of Devotion. 


1. By giving all glory to God in whatever good 
we do, and expelling from our hearts all vain com¬ 
placency. 

St. Teresa said: “When we intend to please 
God alone, he will enable us to overcome all vain¬ 
glory.” 

2. By esteeming ourselves as being worse than 
all, and all others as being better than ourselves, 
ever regarding that which is good in others, and 
in ourselves whatever is defective, reflecting par¬ 
ticularly on the many graces which we have re¬ 
ceived from God. 

3. By desiring to he thus estimated and treated 
by others. 

4. By not seeking honors, praise, nor posts of 
honor, and by not accepting of them unless 
obliged to do so by obedience to superiors. 

5. By never saying a word without necessity 
in praise of ourselves, our talents, birth, parents, 
riches, etc. 


Fifteenth Day. 

ON HUMBLY RECEIVING CONTEMPT. 

All wish to be humble, but there are few that 
wish to'be humbled. St. Ignatius of Loyola gave 
the following counsel to St. Mary Magdalene of 
Pazzi: “ Humility is the joy that we feel at every¬ 
thing that leads us to despise ourselves.” This 


Devotions for the Month of May. 407 

is what is meant by being humble of heart, as 
Jesus Christ teaches us to be; namely, to regard 
ourselves as we really are, and to wish that 
others may look upon us and treat us in the same 
way. We must not expect that the senses and 
the inferior part of the soul should find satisfac¬ 
tion in this; but we must act by reason, content¬ 
ing ourselves with pleasing Cod; and for this it 
is especially useful to exercise ourselves during 
prayer in preparing for receiving contempt of 
every description, and to pray earnestly to Jesus 
and Mary to grant us the fulfilment of our good 
resolutions on the occasions that may present 
themselves. 


Sixteenth Day. 

ON THE PRACTICE OF HUMILITY. 

Behold for the practice of humility the follow¬ 
ing most important maxims, according to St. 
Teresa: 

1. To avoid every occupation and every conver¬ 
sation that can in any way have to do with self- 
love, unless some notable utility oblige us to enter 
upon it. The saint enjoins, nevertheless, that we 
should never put ourselves forward, excepting 
under obedience or from motives of charity. 

2. Never to manifest our interior devotion, un¬ 
less through some great necessity; and never to 


408 Practices of Devotion. 

affect outwardly a devotion that is not within the 
heart. 

3. To rejoice on beholding ourselves the objects 
of complaints, of insults, and of mockeries, with¬ 
out seeking to justify ourselves, unless this be 
necessary for some greater good; “and when we 
are reproved/’ says the saint, “ let us receive the 
reproof with interior as well as exterior humility, 
offering up a prayer to God for him by whom we 
are reprimanded.” 

Seventeenth Day. 

ON TRUE LOVE OF GOD. 

The Lord one day addressed St. Teresa as 
follows, in order to make her understand that 
true love of God in this life does not consist in 
any sensible sweetnesses, but in the accomplish¬ 
ment of the will of God, and in the undergoing of 
sufferings with calmness. 

“ Thinkest thou, my daughter,” he said to her, 
“ that gratifications constitute merit? No, merit 
consists in acting, in suffering, and in loving. 
Consider my life, altogether filled up, as it was, 
with sufferings: when you look at my Mother 
holding me in her arms, do not suppose that she 
enjoys this satisfaction without suffering the 
cruel torment that St. Simeon had predicted to 
her, when he said to her: ‘A sword shall pierce 


Devotions for the Month of May . 409 

thine own soul my Father having from that 
time enlightened her in order that she might 
understand all that I was to suffer” 

Eighteenth Day. 

ON SUFFERING. 

“ To suppose that my Father admits any one 
into friendship with himself without sufferings 
is folly,” Our Lord said to St. Teresa, “ for those 
for whom he entertains a great love he leads on 
by the way of sufferings, and these sufferings are 
the greater in proportion to the greatness of his 
love.” 

If, then, it is our wish to love our dearest Lord 
with a genuine love, and to study how to give 
satisfaction to his heart rather than to gratify our 
own, we must consider that the least one can do 
is to conform one’s self perfectly to the will of 
God in all adversities. “ The weight of the cross 
makes itself felt by him that drags it along, but 
not by him that embraces it.” Just as a miser, 
instead of being fatigued, feels joy as he carries 
his weight of gold, and rejoices the more in pro¬ 
portion to the greatness of its weight, so does a 
loving soul rejoice the more the more she has to 
suffer for God, because she perceives that in offer¬ 
ing up her sufferings to her Beloved, she is ex¬ 
ceedingly acceptable to him. 


410 


Practices of Devotion. 


Nineteenth Day. 

REMEMBRANCE OF GOD’S PRESENCE. 

It is very conducive to union with God to keep 
up a continual remembrance of his presence by 
reminding ourselves that in every place he sees 
us, perceives us, surrounds us, and is in us. St. 
Teresa attributes all our defects to a neglect of 
this practice; she says: “ They all arise from not 
attending to the presence of God, as though we 
believed him to be afar off.” But this happens 
because we have but little love for him: “ The 
true lover,” observes the saint, “ is ever mindful 
of the object of his love.” 

To keep up a remembrance of the divine pres¬ 
ence, it is a great help to carry about us some 
special token of it, or to place such a token in our 
room or on our table. 

Let this remembrance be always accompanied 
by pious ejaculations, acts of love, or offerings of 
ourselves to God. 

Twentieth Day. 

ON SPIRITUAL COMMUNION. 

Frequent spiritual communions are of great as¬ 
sistance in maintaining a union with God. St. 
Teresa says: “ To make spiritual communions is 
very profitable; do not neglect them, because by 


Devotions for the Month of May. 411 

them you will prove t(f Our Lord how much you 
love him.” 

Make also frequent visits to the most holy 
Sacrament. “ What,” says the saint, “ would be¬ 
come of us if we had not the most holy Sacra¬ 
ment?” St. Dionysius the Areopagite asserts 
that from no other source do so many helps to 
perfection flow to us as from the most holy Sac¬ 
rament. St. Teresa also says: “ Let us act so as 
not to he at a distance from our Shepherd, nor 
lose him from our sight: because the sheep that 
keep near their shepherd are always more caressed 
and better taken care of than others.” 

Twenty-first Day. 

ON HOLY COMMUNION. 

We must receive, as often as possible, but with 
the advice of a director, holy Communion, which 
is called the sacrament of union, inasmuch as in 
it the soul is wholly united with Jesus Christ. 
But care must be taken to prepare for it by 
directing all our spiritual exercises to that end. 
At least half an hour should he spent in affections 
and prayers of thanksgiving after Communion. 
St. Teresa says that while Jesus Christ remains 
in the soul, he is, as it were, on the throne of 
mercy to dispense his graces. Her words are 
these: “After Communion, let us not lose so fa- 


412 Practices of Devotion 

vorable an opportunity erf treating with him.” 
And in another place: “ His divine Majesty is not 
accustomed to pay ill for his abode when he 
meets with a good reception.” For preparation 
and thanksgiving three points should be par¬ 
ticularly dwelt upon: 1. Who is it that is com¬ 
ing? Jesus. 2. To whom is he coming? To 
me. 3. Why is he coming? To be loved. To 
these should be united three acts: of faith, of 
humility, and love. 

Twenty-second Day. 

ON FAITH IN THE BLESSED SACRAMENT. 

The mystery of faith is preeminently the 
most holy Sacrament. St. Teresa used to say 
that God has conferred upon us a greater grace 
in giving us the Holy Eucharist than in becoming 
man. When the saint heard any one say that he 
would wish to have lived at the time when Jesus 
was upon earth, she used to laugh and say: “And 
what more do we want, having Jesus, as we have, 
in the most holy Sacrament? Surely, if it was 
enough, while he was upon earth, to touch his 
raiment in order to be healed of infirmities, what 
will he not do for us when he is within us? Oh, 
how sweet it is,” she wrote, “ to see the Shepherd 
become a Lamb. He is a Shepherd, because he 
gives food. He is a Lamb, because he is himself 


Devotions for the Month of May. 413 

the food. . . . When, therefore, we pray to him 
for onr daily bread, we are asking of him that 
the Shepherd may be our food and sustenance.” 
Let the fruit of this consideration be .that of 
continual thanksgiving, in union with the Blessed 
Virgin Mary, to the Lord, for having bestowed 
upon us the great gift of faith in the most holy 
Sacrament, by making us children of the holy 
Church, from which so many millions of souls, 
perhaps less guilty than ourselves, in the sight 
of divine justice, remain separated. 

Twenty-third Day. 

ON AN ACTIVE LOVE OF GOD. 

We must love him with our whole heart, ever 
desiring to arrive at a higher degree of perfec¬ 
tion in order to please him; upon this St. Teresa 
observes: “ God will not suffer any good desire 
to go unrewarded even in this life.” And she 
also says that Our Lord, “ ordinarily, does not 
confer many signal favors, except upon those 
who have greatly desired to love him.” But to 
desires we must add actions, by overcoming with 
fortitude human respect, our own repugnance, 
and all worldly interest. “ The love of God does 
not consist in tender devotion, but in serving 
him with fortitude and humility.” 


414 


Practices of Devotion. 


Twenty-fourth Day. 
prayer. 

To keep ourselves in union with God, it is abso¬ 
lutely necessary to attend to prayer, inasmuch as 
we know from the Gospel that God in general 
dispenses his graces to those only who seek them. 

Hence when we rise in the morning we should 
confidently recommend ourselves to Jesus and 
Mary, that they may assist us. 

It is advisable to do this also in the beginning 
of all our actions; and never to omit making in 
the evening an examination of conscience, with 
acts of repentance and sorrow. 

In time of temptations, and when we are in 
danger of committing sin, it is absolutely neces¬ 
sary to have recourse to God, saying at least: 
Jesus, Mary. 

St. Francis de Sales used to say that, next 
after the merits of Jesus Christ, the protection 
of Mary is so powerful and so beneficial to the 
soul “ that, according to my judgment, I look 
upon it to be the firmest support we can have 
with God.” It is also very necessary to beg of 
God to grant us the victory over our predominant 
passion, holy perseverance, his love, and perfect 
conformity to his blessed will. 


Devotions for the Month of May. 


415 


Twenty-fifth Day. 

ON THE EXCLUSIVE LOVE OF GOD. 

The Eoman Senate, as St. Augustine relates, 
sanctioned the payment of divine honors to thirty 
thousand deities, that is, to all that were recog¬ 
nized as such in the world; but it refused to de¬ 
cree divine worship to the God of the Christians, 
whom it styled a jealous God, since he desired to 
be adored exclusively. And the Roman Senate 
had good reason for what they thus alleged; not 
because our God is proud, but because he is the 
true God. The thief is satisfied if he obtains a 
share, but the owner is not satisfied without the 
whole. God desires, then, to be the sole pos¬ 
sessor of our heart; and therefore he enjoins 
upon each of us this command: Thou shalt love 
the Lord thy God with thy whole heart. Let us, 
then, set to work to detach our heart from riches 
by the love of holy poverty; from pleasures, by 
mortification; from honors, by humility; from 
relatives, by detachment; and, lastly, from self- 
will by obedience to superiors; frequently offer¬ 
ing up to God that excellent prayer: Create in me, 
0 my God! a pure heart. (Ps. i. 12.) 


416 


Practices of Devotion. 
Twenty-sixth Day. 

ON A DESIRE FOR SANCTITY. 

A great desire for sanctity is one means to¬ 
wards becoming a saint; for, on the one hand, 
God does not bestow the abundance of his graces 
except on those souls that hunger for them, as 
the most holy Mary says, in her spblime canticle: 
He has filled with good things those who are hungry. 
(Luke i. 53.) And, on the other hand, this desire 
is necessary as regards ourselves, to the end that 
we may have the power of persevering under the 
hardships that we must endure if we would gain 
the great treasure of perfection. For that which 
is but little desired men make but little exer¬ 
tions to obtain; whereas, on the contrary, to com¬ 
pass the acquisition of what is much desired, there 
is no toil, however arduous, that they do not 
find to be easy and sweet. On this account it is 
that God gives the appellation of “ blessed ” to 
those that have not the desire merely, but a hun¬ 
ger besides, that is, an ardent desire for sanctity: 
Blessed are they that hunqer and thirst after justice. 
(Matt. v. 6.) 

Twenty-seventh Day. 

ON RESOLUTION. 

In order to arrive at perfection, it is not 
enough to have merely the desire for it; we must 


Devotions for the Month of May. 417 

also make the firm resolution of attaining it; 
otherwise the desire without the resolution will 
be of no avail. This is what happens to such a 
number of souls that are always desiring, and are 
perpetually multiplying their desires, hut that 
never come to a determination of setting them¬ 
selves to the work in earnest, and so remain ever 
in their tepidity without making any progress. “ I 
would rather have,” writes St. Teresa on this sub¬ 
ject, “ a short prayer producing great results, 
than a prayer lasting several years, during which 
the soul never resolves on performing anything 
of any real value for God.” 

St. Bernard says that many fail to become 
saints because they lack the courage. “ I have ex¬ 
perienced in a variety of circumstances,” St. Te¬ 
resa adds, “ that when any one from the outset 
resolves courageously on the accomplishment of 
anything, whatever may be its difficulties, if he 
does it in order to please God, he has nothing to 
fear.” 


Twenty-eighth Day. 

ON CONFIDENCE. 

The mercies of God are commensurate with the 
confidence that a soul places in him; so that when 
the Lord wishes to enrich a soul with graces he 
first of all enriches it with confidence. 


418 


Practices of Devotion. 


So great was the confidence with which the 
holy mother Teresa was gifted by G-od, that 
whenever the strength of the opposition in¬ 
creased, her courage would increase also, and she 
would say that this is a sign that the seed sown 
will produce the more abundant fruit; and so all 
turned out successfully. We thus read in her 
writings: “ Thus I hope, because the true way 
of escaping a fall is to attach one’s self to the 
cross, and to confide in him who has been sus¬ 
pended thereon. I find him alone a true friend; 
so overpowered am I with a sense of this, that 
it seems to me that, with the grace of God, I 
could withstand the whole universe contending 
against me.” 

Learn from this, 0 devout soul! how God 
listens to the prayers that are offered with con¬ 
fidence; ask, then, with confidence, and you shall 
have whatever you desire. Heaven and earth 
may fail you, but the word of God, who has said, 
Whosoever asketh, r.eceivetli (Matt. vii. 8), cannot 
fail. 


Twenty-ninth Day. 

ON THE CONTINUAL SERVICE OF GOD. 

We must love God continually, and on all occa¬ 
sions; and for this end we must direct and offer 
all to him, even our indifferent actions, such as 


Devotions for the Month of May. 419 

our eating, diversions, walking, breathing, unit¬ 
ing all with the actions of Jesus Christ and of 
the Blessed Virgin when on earth. Moreover, 
we must cheerfully suffer all adverse and pain¬ 
ful things, conforming ourselves and uniting 
ourselves to the will of God in whatever he is 
pleased to do in us and for us. Upon this St.. 
Teresa has left the following excellent senti¬ 
ments: “And what more can we wish to gain than 
the testimony of doing what is pleasing to God? ” 
And she explains what this testimony is: “ Whilst 
we live, our gain does not consist in endeavoring 
to enjoy God, but in doing his will. Great is the 
efficacy of this giving of our will to God, for it 
induces him to unite himself to our lowliness. 
True union is the union of our will with the will 
of God.” 


Thirtieth Day. 

ON A YEARNING FOR PARADISE. 

Let us yearn after paradise, where we shall 
offend God no more, and where we shall ever 
love him with all our powers. When the troub¬ 
les of this life press heavily upon us, let us 
animate ourselves by the hope of paradise to bear 
them with tranquillity. When the world or the 
devil presents for our acceptance fruits that are 
forbidden, let us with good courage turn our back 


420 


Practices of Devotion. 


upon them and lift up our eyes to paradise. If the 
dread of God’s judgments alarm us, let us nerve 
ourselves by hoping in the goodness of our God, 
who, to make us understand how ardently he de¬ 
sires to give paradise to us, has commanded us, 
under pain of damnation, to hope for it through 
his mercy. He has even willed to purchase it at 
the cost of his blood, and of his death, that so he 
might obtain that great blessedness for us; and 
to assure us of it the more, he has been pleased 
to give us a pledge of it in the gift of himself 
to us in the most holy Sacrament of the altar. 

Thirty-first Day. 

OIST A HAPPY DEATH. 

If the worldly-minded have a fear of losing 
their good things, fleeting and miserable as they 
are, much greater is the fear that the saints have 
of losing God, who is good, infinite, and eternal, 
and who promises to bestow himself in heaven 
as a recompense upon him that has loved him on 
earth, admitting him to the enjoyment of his 
beauty and of his own happiness. Hence as their 
whole fear during life has been simply that of 
sinning, and thus of losing the friendship of that 
Lord whom they have loved so well, so their 
whole desire has been to die in the grace of God, 


Devotions for the Month of May. 421 

and by death to gain the assurance of loving and 
possessing him forever. 

Death, then—that object of the greatest terror 
to souls attached to the earth—is what those that 
love God especially desire; for, says St. Bernard, 
it is for these happy souls both the termination 
of their labors and the gate of life. Hence we 
see that, among the saints, one would call this 
life a prison and pray the Lord to deliver 
him out of it: Deliver my soul from this prison. 
Another, like St. Paul, would call it a real death: 
Who shall deliver me from this body of death? 

VARIOUS PRAYERS TO MARY. 

DEDICATION OF ONE^S SELF TO MARY. 

Most holy Virgin Mary, Mother of God, I, N., 
although most unworthy to be thy servant, yet 
moved by thy wonderful compassion and by my 
desire to serve thee, now choose thee, in presence 
of my guardian angel and of the whole celestial 
court, for my special Lady, Advocate, and 
Mother: and I firmly purpose always to love and 
serve thee for the future, and to do whatever I 
can to induce others to love and serve thee also. 
I beseech thee, 0 Mother of God, and my most 
compassionate and loving Mother, by the blood 
which thy Son shed for me, to receive me into 


422 


Practices of Devotion. 


the number of thy servants, to be thy child and 
servant forever. Assist me in all my thoughts, 
words, and actions in every moment of my life, 
so that every step that I take, and every breath 
that I draw, may be directed to the greater glory 
of my God; and through thy most powerful in¬ 
tercession may I never more offend my beloved 
Jesus, but may I glorify him, and love him in this 
life, and love thee, my most beloved and dear 
Mother, and thus love thee and enjoy thee in 
heaven for all eternity. Amen. 

My Mother Mary, I recommend my soul to 
thee, and especially at the hour of my death.' 

OFFERING OF A FAMILY TO MARY. 

Most blessed Virgin, our immaculate Queen 
and Mother, refuge and consolation of the dis¬ 
tressed, prostrate before thy throne with all my 
family, I choose thee as my patroness, my Mother, 
and my advocate with God. I consecrate my¬ 
self forever, with all that belongs to me, to thy 
service, and I pray thee, 0 Mother of God, to 
receive us into the number of thy servants, taking 
us into thy protection, succoring us during life 
and above all at the hour of death. Bless me, 
with all my family, and permit not that anything 
in us should ever offend thy Son. Protect us in all 
temptations, deliver us from all dangers, provide 


Devotions for the Month of May. 423 

for all our wants, counsel us in all our doubts, 
console us in all our afflictions, assist us in. our 
sickness, and especially in the agonies of death. 
Permit not the wicked one to boast of having 
under his dominion any of us who are now con¬ 
secrated to thee; but grant that we may go to 
heaven to thank thee, and together with thee to 
praise and love Jesus our Redeemer for all eter¬ 
nity. Amen. Thus may it be. 

THE MEMORARE. 

Remember, 0 most gracious Virgin Mary, that 
never was it known that any one who fled to thy 
protection, implored thy help, and sought thy in¬ 
tercession was left unaided. Inspired with this 
confidence, I fly unto thee, 0 Virgin of virgins, 
my Mother. To thee I come; before thee I stand, 
sinful and sorrowful. 0 Mother of the Word 
Incarnate, despise not my petitions, but in thy 
mercy hear and answer me. Amen. 

PRAYERS FOR EVERY DAY IN THE 
WEEK. 

The Sovereign Pontiff, Pius VII., by a rescript, 
June 21, 1808, granted an indulgence of three hun¬ 
dred days, once a day, to all the faithful who with at 
least contrite heart and devotion shall say, on the 
days assigned, together with the “ Hail Mary ” three 
times, these prayers, to make some reparation for the 


424 


Practices of Devotion. 


many blasphemies uttered against her not only by 
unbelievers, but also by bad Christians. A plenary 
indulgence, once a month, to all who having said 
these prayers every day for a month, as directed 
above, if being truly penitent, after confession and 
Communion, they pray to God for holy Church. 
These indulgences, both plenary and partial, were 
confirmed forever by his Holiness Pope Pius IX., by 
a rescript June 18, 1876. 

Sunday. 

TO OBTAIN THE FORGIVENESS OF OUR SINS. 

Behold, 0 Mother of God, at thy feet a mis¬ 
erable sinner, a slave of hell, who has recourse 
to thee and trusts in thee. I do not deserve that 
thou shouldst even look at me; but I know that 
thou, having seen thy Son die for the salvation 
of sinners, hast the greatest desire to help them. 
I hear all call thee the Refuge of sinners, the hope 
of those who are in despair, and the help of the 
abandoned. Help me, for the love of Jesus 
Christ; extend thy hand to a miserable creature 
who has fallen and recommends himself to thee. 
I know that thy pleasure is to help a sinner to 
thy utmost; help me, therefore, now that thou 
canst do so. By my sins I have lost divine grace, 
and with it my soul; I now place myself in thy 
hands. Tell me what I must do to recover the 
favor of my Lord, and I will immediately do it. 
He sends me to thee that thou mayest help me; 


Devotions for the Month of May. 425 

and he wills that I should have recourse to thy 
mercy, that not only the merits of thy Son, but 
also that thy intercession may help me to save 
my soul. To thee, then, I have recourse; do 
thou, who prayest for so many others, pray also 
to Jesus for me. Ask him to pardon me, and he 
will forgive me; tell him that thou desirest my 
salvation, and he will save me; show how thou 
cahst enrich those who trust in thee. Amen. 

Three Hail Marys. 

Monday. 

TO OBTAIN HOLY PERSEVERANCE. 

0 Queen of heaven, I, who was once a mis¬ 
erable slave of Lucifer, now dedicate myself to 
thee, to be thy servant forever; I offer myself to 
honor thee, and serve thee during my whole life; 
do thou accept me, and refuse me not, as I should 
deserve. 0 my Mother, in thee have I placed all 
my hopes, from thee do I expect every grace. I 
bless and thank God, who in his mercy has given 
me this confidence in thee, which I consider a 
pledge of my salvation. Alas, miserable wretch 
that I am, I have hitherto fallen because I have 
not had recourse to thee. I now hope that, 
through the merits of Jesus Christ and thy 
prayers, I have obtained pardon. But I may 
again lose divine grace; the danger is not past. 


426 


Practices of Devotion. 


My enemies do not sleep. How many new temp¬ 
tations have I still to conquer! Ah, my most 
sweet Lady, protect me, and permit me not again 
to become their slave: help me at all times. I 
know that thou wilt help me, and that with thy 
help I shall conquer, if I recommend myself to 
thee; but this‘is what I fear—I fear that in time 
of danger I may neglect to call upon thee, and 
thus be lost. I ask ^hee, then,, for this grace: 
obtain that, in the assaults of hell, I may always 
have recourse to thee, saying, Mary, help me. My 
Mother, permit me not to lose my God. 

Three Hail Marys. 

Tuesday. 

TO OBTAIN A GOOD DEATH. 

0 Mary, how shall I die? Even now, that I 
-think of my sins, and of that decisive moment 
on which my salvation or eternal damnation de¬ 
pends, of that moment in which I must expire 
.and be judged, I tremble and am confounded. 0 
my most sweet Mother, my hopes are in the blood 
of Jesus Christ and in thy intercession. 0 Corn- 
fortress of the afflicted, do not, then, abandon 
me, cease not to console me in that moment of 
so great affliction. Ah, my Lady, before death 
obtain me great sorrow for my sins, thorough 
amendment, and fidelity to God during the re- 


Devotions for the Month of May. 427 

mainder of my life. And when my last moment 
arrives, 0 Mary, my hope, help me in the great 
distress in which I shall then be; encourage me, 
that I may not despair at the sight of my sins, 
which the devil will place before me. Obtain 
that I may then invoke thee more frequently; so 
that I may expire with thy most sweet name and 
that of thy beloved Son on my lips. Nay, more, 
my Lady, but forgive my boldness, before I expire 
do thou come thyself and comfort me with thy 
presence. Thou hast granted this favor to so 
many of thy devout servants, I also desire and 
hope it. I am a sinner, it is true; I do not de¬ 
serve so great a favor; but I am thy servant, I 
love thee and have full confidence in thee. 0 
Mary, I shall expect thee; do not disappoint me 
of this consolation. At least, if I am not worthy 
of so great a favor, do thou help me from heaven, 
that I may leave this life loving God and thee, to 
love thee eternally in paradise. 

Three Hail Marys. 

Wednesday. 

TO OBTAIN DELIVERANCE FROM HELL. 

My most beloved Lady, I thank thee for hav¬ 
ing delivered me from hell as many times as I 
have deserved it by my sins. Miserable creature 
that 1 was, I was once condemned to that prison, 


428 


Practices of Devotion. 


and perhaps already, after the first sin, the sen¬ 
tence would have been put into execution, if thou, 
in thy compassion, hadst not helped me. Thou, 
without even being asked by me, and only in thy 
goodness, didst restrain divine Justice; and then, 
conquering my obduracy, thou didst draw me to 
have confidence in thee. 0, into how many other 
sins should I have afterwards fallen, in the dan¬ 
gers in which I have been, hadst not thou, my 
loving Mother, preserved me by the graces which 
thou didst obtain for me! Never allow me to 
turn my back on thee and on God who, by thy 
means, has granted me so many graces. My 
Lady, since thou hast done so much to save me, 
complete the work, continue the aid. But what 
do I say? If at a time when I lived forgetful of 
thee thou didst favor me so much, how much 
more may I not hope for now that I love thee and 
recommend myself to thee! No, he can never be 
lost who recommends himself to thee; he alone is 
lost who has not recourse to thee. Ah, my 
Mother, leave me not in my own hands, for I 
should then be lost; grant that I may always have 
recourse to thee. Save me, my hope, save me 
from hell; but, in the first place, save me from 
sin, which alone can condemn me to it. 

Three Hail Marys. 


Devotions for the Month of May. 


429 


Thursday. 

TO OBTAIN HEAVEN. 

0 Queen of paradise, who reignest above all 
the choirs of angels, and who art the nearest of 
all creatures to God, I, a miserable sinner, salute 
thee from this valley of tears, and beseech thee 
to turn thy compassionate eyes towards me, for 
whichever side they turn they dispense graces. 
See, 0 Mary, in how many dangers I now am, and 
shall be as long as I live in this world, of losing 
my soul, of losing heaven and God. In thee, 0 
Lady, I have placed all my hopes. Ah, Mary, 
when will be that happy day on which I shall 
see myself safe at thy feet, and contemplate my 
Mother who has done so much for my salvation? 
When shall I kiss that hand which has delivered 
me so many times from hell, and has dispensed 
me so many graces, when, on account of my sins, 
I deserved to be hated and abandoned by all? I 
thank God with my whole heart, who gives me 
firm confidence in the blood of Jesus Christ and 
in thee, and in the conviction that thou wilt save 
me; that thou wilt deliver me from my sins; that 
thou wilt give me light and strength to execute 
the divine will; and, in fine, that thou wilt lead 
me to the gate of paradise. Thy servants have 
hoped for all this, and not one of them was de- 


430 


Practices of Devotion. 


ceived. No, neither shall I he deceived. 0 
Mary, my full confidence is that thou hast to save 
me. Beseech thy Son Jesus, as I also beseech 
him, by the merits of his Passion, to preserve and 
always increase this confidence in me, and I shall 
he saved. 

Three Hail Marys. 

Friday. 

TO OBTAIN LOVE TOWARDS HER AND JESUS CHRIST. 

0 Mary, I already know that thou art the most 
noble, the most sublime, the most pure, the most 
beautiful, the most benign, the most holy—in a 
word, the most amiable of all creatures. 0 that 
all knew thee, my Lady, and loved thee as thou 
dost merit! But I am consoled when I remem¬ 
ber that in heaven and on earth there are so 
many happy souls who live enamored of thy good¬ 
ness and beauty., Above all, I rejoice that God 
himself loves thee alone more than he loves all 
men and angels together. I see also, my Mother, 
that I am indeed under great obligations to thy 
Son. I see that he merits infinite love. Thou, 
who desirest nothing else hut to see him loved, 
hast to obtain me this grace above all others; 
obtain me great love for Jesus Christ. Thou ob- 
tainest all that thou wiliest from God; ah, then, 
be graciously pleased to obtain me the grace to 


431 


Devotions for the Month of May . 

be so united to the divine will that I may never 
more be separated from it. I do not ask of thee 
earthly goods, honors, or riches. I ask thee for 
that which thy heart desires most for me. I 
wish to love my God. Is it possible that thou 
refusest to second this my desire, which is so 
pleasing to thee? Ah no, thou already helpest. 
me; already thou prayest for me. Pray, pray,, 
and cease not to pray until thou seest me safe in 
heaven, beyond the possibility of evermore losing 
my Lord, and certain to love him forever, to¬ 
gether with thee, my dearest Mother. 

' Three Hail Marys. 

Saturday. 

TO OBTAIN HER PATRONAGE. 

0 my most holy Mother, I see the graces which 
thou hast obtained for me; and I see the ingrati¬ 
tude of which I have been guilty towards thee. 
An ungrateful soul is no longer worthy of favors; 
but I will not on this account distrust thy mercy, 
which is greater than my ingratitude. 0 my 
great advocate, pity me. Thou dispensest all the 
graces which God grants to us miserable crea¬ 
tures, and for this purpose he has made thee so 
powerful, so rich, and so benign. He has done 
so that thou mightest succor us in our miseries. 
In thy hands, then, do I place my eternal salva- 


432 


Practices of Devotion. 


tion; to thee do I intrust my soul: it was lost; 
thou, then, by thy intercession hast to save it. I 
wish to he inscribed amongst thy most devoted 
servants; reject me not. Thou seekest the mis¬ 
erable to relieve them; abandon me not, who am 
a wretched sinner, and who have recourse to 
thee. Speak for me; thy Son does all that thou 
askest him. Take me under thy protection; that 
is all that I ask. Yes; for if thou protectest me, 
I fear nothing. I do not fear my sins; for thou 
wilt obtain me a remedy for the evil they 
have done me. I do not fear the devils; for thou 
art more powerful than all hell. I do not even 
fear Jesus, my Judge, himself; for by a single 
prayer of thine he is appeased. I only fear that 
by my negligence I may cease to recommend my¬ 
self to thee, and thus be lost. Pray, then, to 
Jesus for me; tell him that thou protectest me, 
and then he is sure to pity me. My Mother, in 
thee too I do trust; in this hope I shall live in 
peace, and in it I wish to die. 

Live, Jesus our love, and Mary our hope! 

Three Hail Marys. 


PART THIRD. 


General grayer#. 

MORNING PRAYERS. 

On waking say: 

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, 
and of the Holy Ghost. Amen. 

0 my God, I offer Thee all my thoughts, words, 
and actions of this day: grant that they may be 
for Thy greater glory and the good of my soul. 

Then dress, and kneeling before a crucifix or 
devout picture, say: 

AN ACT OF ADORATION. 

0 great God, sovereign Lord of heaven and 
earth, I prostrate myself before Thee. With all 
the angels and saints I adore Thee. I acknowl¬ 
edge Thee to be my Creator and my sovereign 
Lord, my first beginning and my last end. I ren¬ 
der Thee the homage of my being and life. I 
submit myself to Thy holy will, and I devote my¬ 
self to Thy divine service, this day and forever. 

433 



434 


General Prayers. 


AN ACT OF FAITH. 

\ 

0 my God, I firmly believe all the sacred truths 
Thy holy Catholic Church believes and teaches, 
because Thou hast revealed them, who neither 
canst deceive nor he deceived. 

AN ACT OF HOPE. 

0 my God, relying upon Thy infinite goodness 
and promises, I hope to obtain the pardon of my 
sins, the assistance of Thy grace, and life ever¬ 
lasting, through the merits of Our Lord and 
Saviour Jesus Christ. 

AN ACT OF CHARITY. 

0 my God, I love Thee with my whole heart 
and soul, purely because Thou art infinitely 
worthy and deserving of my love. I love also my 
neighbor as myself, for the love of Thee; I for¬ 
give all who have injured me, and ask pardon of 
all whom I have injured. 

THE LORD’S PRAYER. 

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be 
Thy name; Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done 
on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our 
daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we 
forgive those who trespass against us; and lead 


Morning Prayers. 435 

us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil. 
Amen. 

THE ANGELICAL SALUTATION. 

Hail, Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee; 
blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the 
fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of 
God, pray for us sinners now, and at the hour 
of our death. Amen. 

THE APOSTLES’ CREED. 

I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creator 
of heaven and earth; and in Jesus Christ, his 
only Son, Our Lord, who was conceived by the 
Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered 
under Pontius Pilate, was crucified; died, and was 
buried; he descended into hell; the third day 
he rose again from the dead; he ascended into 
heaven, sitteth at the right hand of God, the 
Father Almighty; from thence he shall come to 
judge the living and the dead. I believe in the 
Holy Ghost, the holy Catholic Church, the com¬ 
munion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the 
resurrection of the body, and life everlasting. 
Amen. 

THE CONFITEOR. 

I confess to Almighty God, to blessed Mary, 
ever virgin, to blessed Michael the Archangel, to 


436 


General Prayers. 


blessed John the Baptist, to the holy apostles 
Peter and Paul, and to all the saints, that I have 
sinned exceedingly in thought, word, and deed, 
through my fault, through my fault, through my 
most grievous fault. Therefore I beseech the 
blessed Mary, ever virgin, blessed Michael the 
Archangel, blessed John the Baptist, the holy 
apostles Peter and Paul, and all the saints, to 
pray to the Lord our God for me. 

May the Almighty God have mercy on me, for¬ 
give me my sins, and bring me to life everlasting. 
Amen. 

May the almighty and merciful Lord grant me 
pardon, absolution, and remission of my sins. 
Amen. 


OFFERING TO THE BLESSED VIRGIN. 

To thee, 0 holy Mary, my sovereign mistress, 
to thy blessed trust and special charge, and to the 
bosom of thy mercy, this day, and every day, and 
at the hour of my death, I commend myself, my 
soul and my body; to thee I commit all my hope 
and all my consolation, my distresses and my mis¬ 
eries, my life and the end thereof; that through 
thy most holy intercession, and through thy mer¬ 
its, all my works may be directed and disposed 
according to thy will and the will of thy Son. 
Amen. 



Morning Prayers. 


437 


THE LITANY OF THE MOST HOLY NAME OF JESUS. 

(Form to which an indulgence of three hundred 
days was granted by Pope Pius IX., who suppressed 
all other forms.) 

Lord, have mercy on us. 

Christ , have mercy on us. 

Lord, have mercy on us. 

Jesus, hear us. 

Jesus, graciously hear us. 

God the Father of heaven, 

God the Son, Redeemer of the world, 

God the Holy Ghost, 

Holy Trinity, one God, 

Jesus, Son of the living God, 

Jesus, splendor of the Father, 

Jesus, brightness of eternal light, 

Jesus, king of glory, 

Jesus, sun of justice, 

Jesus, Son of the Virgin Mary, 

Jesus amiable, 

Jesus admirable, 

Jesus, the powerful God, 

Jesus, father of the world to come, 

Jesus, angel of the great council, 

Jesus most powerful, 


Have mercy on us. 



438 


General Prayers. 


Jesus most patient, 

Jesus most obedient, 

Jesus meek and humble of heart, 

Jesus, lover of chastity, 

Jesus, lover of us, 

Jesus, God of peace, 

Jesus, author of life, 

Jesus, model of all virtues, 

Jesus, zealous for souls, 

Jesus, our God, 

J esus, our refuge, 

Jesus, father of the poor, 

Jesus, treasure of the faithful, 

Jesus, good shepherd, 

Jesus, true light, 

Jesus, eternal wisdom, 

Jesus, infinite goodness, 

Jesus, our way and our life, 

Jesus, joy of angels, 

Jesus, king of the patriarchs, 

Jesus, master of the apostles, 

Jesus, teacher of the evangelists, 

Jesus, strength of martyrs, 

Jesus, light of confessors, 

Jesus, purity of virgins, 

Jesus, crown of all saints, 

Be merciful, Spare us, 0 Jesus! 

Be merciful, Graciously hear us, 0 Jesus! 




Morning Prayers. 


439 


From all evil. 

From all sin. 

From Thy wrath. 

From the snares of the devil. 

From the spirit of fornication, 

From everlasting death. 

From neglect of Thy inspirations, 

By the mystery of Thy holy Incarnation, 

By Thy nativity, 

By Thy infancy. 

By Thy most divine life. 

By Thy labors. 

By Thy agony and Passion, 

By Thy cross and dereliction, 

By Thy languors, 

By Thy death and burial. 

By Thy resurrection. 

By Thy ascension, 

By Thy joys. 

By Thy glory, j 

Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the 
world. Spare us, 0 Jesus! 

Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the 
world, Graciously hear us, 0 Jesus ! 

Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the 
world, Have mercy on us, 0 Jesus! 

Jesus, hear us. 

Jesus, graciously hear us. 


Deliver us, 0 Jesus. 



440 


General Prayers. 


Let us Pray. 

0 Lord Jesus Christ, who hast said, “Ask, and 
ye shall receive; seek, and ye shall find; knock, 
and it shall be opened unto you,” mercifully at¬ 
tend to our supplications, and grant us the gift 
of Thy divine charity, that we may ever love Thee 
with our whole hearts, and never desist from Thy 
praise. 

Give us, 0 Lord, a perpetual fear and love of 
Thy holy name, for Thou never ceasest to direct 
and govern by Thy grace those whom Thou in- 
structest in the solidity of Thy love: whQ livest 
and reignest world without end. Amen. 

PRAYERS DURING THE DAY. 

THE ANGELUS. 

To be said morning, noon, and night, to put us in 
mind that God the Son became man for our sal¬ 
vation. 

The angel of the Lord declared unto Mary:- 
And she conceived of the Holy Ghost. 

Hail Mary, etc. 

Behold the handmaid of the Lord: Be it done 
unto me according to thy word. 

Hail Mary, etc. 

And the Word was made flesh: And dwelt 
among us. 

Hail Mary, etc. 


Prayers During the Day. 


441 


V. Pray for us, 0 holy Mother of God. 

R. That we may be made worthy of the prom¬ 
ises of Christ. 

Let us Pray. 

Pour forth, we beseech Thee, 0 Lord, Thy 
grace into our hearts, that we, to whom the Incar¬ 
nation of Christ, Thy Son, was made known by 
the message of an angel, may, by His Passion and 
cross, be brought to the glory of the resurrection. 
Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen. 

During the Paschal season, that is, from Holy 
Saturday at noon to Trinity Eve at noon, instead of 
the foregoing, is said, standing: 

THE REGINA C(ELI. 

Queen of heaven, rejoice. Alleluia. 

For he whom thou wast made worthy to bear. 
Alleluia. 

Hath risen as he said. Alleluia. 

Pray for us to our God. Alleluia. 

V. Rejoice and be glad, 0 Virgin Mary. 
Alleluia. 

R. For the Lord hath risen indeed. Alleluia. 

Let us Pray. 

God, who through the resurrection of Thy 
Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ, hast vouchsafed to 
make glad the whole world, grant us, we beseech 


442 


General Prayers. 


Thee, that, through the intercession of the Virgin 
Mary, his Mother, we may attain the joys of eter¬ 
nal life. Through the same Christ our Lord. 
Amen. 

EVENING PRAYERS. 

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and 
of the Holy Ghost. Amen. 

Say the Act of Adoration, page 433, the Acts of 
Faith, Hope, and Charity, page 434, the “ Our 
Father,” “ ^xail Mary,” “ I believe in God,” etc. 

Let us return thanks to God for the favors be¬ 
stowed on us. 

How shall I be able to thank Thee, 0 Lord, for 
all Thy favors? Thou hast thought of me from 
all eternity; Thou hast brought me forth from 
nothing; Thou hast given Thy life to redeem me, 
and Thou continuest still, daily, to load me with 
Thy favors. Alas, my God! what return can I 
make Thee for all Thy benefits, and in particular 
for the favors of this day? Join me, ye blessed 
spirits, and all ye elect, in praising the God of 
mercies, who is so bountiful to so unworthy a 
creature. 

Let us beg of God to make known our sins to us. 

0 Holy Ghost, eternal source of light, remove 
my darkness, and dispel those shades that hide 
from me the filth and enormity of my offences. 


Evening Prayers. 


443 


Show me,, I beseech Thee, the sins I have this 
clay committed, in thought, word, and action. 
Grant me a feeling sense of them, that I may de¬ 
test them all from the bottom of my heart, and 
dread nothing so much as ever to commit them 
hereafter. 

Let us examine our conscience, and consider where 
we have been this day, and in what company. Let 
us call to mind the duties of our state, and our dif¬ 
ferent offences. 

Against God. By omissions, negligence in our 
religious duties, irreverence in church, wilful dis¬ 
tractions in prayer, faults in our intentions, 
resistance to divine grace, oaths, murmurings, 
want of confidence, and resignation. 

Against our neighbor. By rash judgments, ha¬ 
tred, jealousy, contempt, desire of revenge, quar¬ 
relling, passion, imprecations, injuries, detraction, 
raillery, false reports, damaging either in goods 
or reputation, bad example, scandal, want of 
obedience, respect, charity, or fidelity. 

Against ourselves. By vanity, human respect, 
lies; by thoughts, desires, discourse, or actions 
contrary to purity; by intemperance, rage, impa¬ 
tience; by a useless and sensual life, or sloth in 
complying with the duties of our state. 

Then recite the Confiteor, page 435. 


444 


General Prayers. 


A FIRM PURPOSE OF AMENDMENT. 

0 eternal God, against whom I have sinned, 
I wish from my heart that I had never offended 
Thee; but as I have been so unhappy, grant me 
now grace nevermore to offend Thee. Thou wili¬ 
est not the death of a sinner, hut rather that he 
he converted and live. Convert me, then, and I 
shall he converted. Have mercy on me accord¬ 
ing to Thy great mercy, and according to the 
multitude of Thy tender mercies blot out my in¬ 
iquities. I renounce all sin, and firmly purpose 
to shun all the occasions of it, and to walk hence¬ 
forth in the path of Thy commandments. This 
is my fixed resolution, which I hope I shall faith¬ 
fully keep, relying upon Thee, through Jesus 
Christ our Lord. Amen. 

THE LITANY OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN. 

(An indulgence of three hundred days each time.) 

Lord, have mercy. 

Christ , have mercy. 

Lord, have mercy. 

Christ, hear us. 

Christ, graciously hear us. 

God the Father of heaven, Have mercy on us. 

God the Son, Redeemer of the world. Have 
mercy on us. 


Evening Prayers. 


445 


God the Holy Ghost, Have mercy on us. 
Holy Trinity, one God, Have mercy on us. 
Holy Mary, ) 

Holy Mother of God, 

Holy Virgin of virgins, 

Mother of Christ, 

Mother of divine grace. 

Mother most pure. 

Mother most chaste. 

Mother inviolate. 

Mother undefiled. 

Mother most amiable, 

Mother most admirable, 

Mother of our Creator, 

Mother of our Saviour, 

Virgin most prudent, 

Virgin most venerable, 

Virgin most renowned, 

Virgin most powerful. 

Virgin most merciful. 

Virgin most faithful. 

Mirror of justice. 

Seat of wisdom. 

Cause of our joy. 

Spiritual vessel. 

Vessel of honor. 

Singular vessel of devotion. 

Mystical rose. 


hSi 

2 


/ 



446 


General Prayers. 


Tower of David, 

Tower of ivory, 

House of gold, 

Ark of the covenant, 

Gate of heaven. 

Morning star, 

Health of the sick, 

Refuge of sinners. 

Comforter of the afflicted. 

Help of Christians, 

Queen of angels. 

Queen of patriarchs. 

Queen of prophets. 

Queen of apostles, 

Queen of martyrs, 

Queen of confessors, 

Queen of virgins, 

Queen of all saints, 

Queen conceived without original sin, Pray 
for us. 

Queen of the most holy Rosary^ Pray for 


us. 

Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the 
world, Spare us, 0 Lord! 

Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the 
world. Graciously hear us, 0 Lord! 

Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the 
world, Have mercy on us! 




Evening Prayers . 44? 

V. May the divine assistance always remain 
with us. 

R. Amen. 

V. And may the souls of the faithful departed, 
through the mercy of God, rest in peace. 

R. Amen. 

Let us Pray. 

Defend, we beseech Thee, 0 Lord, through the 
intercession of the blessed Mary, ever virgin, this 
family from all adversity; and as in all humility 
they prostrate themselves before Thee, do Thou 
mercifully protect them against all the snares of 
their enemies; through Christ our Lord. Amen. 

Pour down Thy blessing, 0 Lord, on Thy holy 
Church; on our holy Father, the Pope; on this 
diocese; on our most reverend Archbishop, and all 
pastors of souls; on this country; on our rulers, 
and all superiors, temporal and spiritual; on this 
congregation; on this family; on our parents, re¬ 
lations, benefactors, friends, and enemies. Help 
the poor, the sick, and those that are in their 
agony; convert all heretics, and enlighten the in¬ 
fidels. 

Let us pray for the souls of all the faithful de¬ 
parted, particularly for those of our friends and 
benefactors. 


448 


General Prayers. 


De Profundis. 

Out of the depths I have cried to Thee, 0 Lord: 
Lord, hear my voice. 

Let Thy ears he attentive to the voice of my 
supplication. 

If Thou, 0 Lord, wilt mark iniquities, Lord, 
who shall stand? 

For with Thee there is merciful forgiveness; 
and by reason of Thy law I have waited for Thee, 
0 Lord. 

My soul hath relied on his word: my soul hath 
hoped in the Lord. 

From the morning watch, even until night, let 
Israel hope in the Lord. 

Because with the Lord there is mercy, and with 
him plentiful redemption. 

And he shall redeem Israel from all his in¬ 
iquities. 

V. Eternal rest give unto them, 0 Lord! 

B. And let perpetual light shine upon them. 

V. May they rest in peace. 

R. Amen. 

V. 0 Lord, hear my prayer. 

B. And let my cry come unto Thee. 


Evening Prayers. 


449 


Let us Pray . 

0 God, the Creator and Redeemer of all the 
faithful, grant to the souls of Thy servants de¬ 
parted the remission of all their sins, that 
through pious supplications they may obtain that 
pardon which they have always desired, who liv- 
est and reignest, world without end. Amen. 

Let us recommend our rest to God, to the Blessed 
Virgin, and the saints. 

V. Vouchsafe, 0 Lord, this night to keep us 
without sin. 

R. Have mercy on us, 0 Lord, have mercy on 
us. 


PRAYER FOR PROTECTION DURING THE NIGHT. 

0 angel of God, to whose holy care I am com¬ 
mitted by the supreme clemency, enlighten, de¬ 
fend, and protect me this night from all sin and 
danger. Amen. 

Visit, we beseech Thee, 0 Lord, this habitation, 
and drive from it all the snares of the enemy. Let 
Thy holy angels dwell herein, to preserve us in 
peace; and may Thy blessing be upon us forever, 
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 

God the Father, bless us; Jesus Christ, defend 
and keep us; the virtue of the Holy Ghost en¬ 
lighten and sanctify us this night and forever; 


450 


General Prayers. 


and may the souls of the faithful departed, 
through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen. 

Bless, 0 Lord, the repose I am going to take in 
order to renew my strength, that I may be better 
able to serve Thee. 0 all ye saints and angels, 
but chiefly thou, 0 Mother of God, intercede for 
me this night and during the rest of my life, but 
particularly at the hour of my death. 

May the divine assistance remain always with 
us. Amen. 


DEVOUT METHOD OF HEARING MASS 
IN HONOR OF THE BLESSED 
VIRGIN MARY. 

The following method of hearing Mass may be 
used on Saturdays, on the festivals established by 
the Church in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary, or 
on any other occasion, according to a person’s 
devotion. 

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and 
of the Holy Ghost. Amen. 

AT THE BEGINNING OF MASS. 

In the name of the Father, etc. 

0 infinite Creator and merciful God! Thou hast 
been pleased, by the Incarnation of Thy only be¬ 
gotten Son, to repair the losses caused by the 



Mass in Honor of the Blessed Virgin. 451 

disobedience of our first parents; and at the time 
appointed by Thy eternal wisdom Thou didst send 
the angel Gabriel to that chosen maid who, by 
becoming the Mother of the Redeemer, crushed 
the infernal serpent’s head and brought salva¬ 
tion to all mankind. Do Thou, 0 Lord, who 
displayed Thy infinite power in forgiving and 
showing mercy to poor sinners, give ear to our 
humble prayers, and grant that we, who firmly 
believe that Thy Eternal Son became man in the 
chaste womb of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and 
that she is, therefore, truly the Mother of God, 
may be helped by her prayers. I adore Thee, 0 
my God, in this profound mystery, the fruits 
whereof were first felt by the precursor, who, at 
the words of Mary’s salutation to St. Elizabeth, 
was sanctified in his mother’s womb. Let us 
give praise to God, for he is good, and his mercy 
endureth forever. My soul doth magnify the 
Lord; my spirit rejoiceth in God my Saviour. 
But I am unworthy, 0 Lord, of Thy favors. 
What am I but a miserable worm of the earth; 
how can I dare to appear before Thee, 0 my God? 

I confess to Almighty God, to the blessed and 
immaculate Mary, ever virgin, to St. Michael the 
Archangel, to St. John the Baptist, to the holy 
apostles Peter and Paul, and to all the saints, that 
I have sinned in thought, word, and deed, through 


452 


General Prayers. 


my fault, through my fault, through my most 
grievous fault. Therefore I beseech the blessed 
and immaculate Mary, ever virgin, blessed 
Michael the Archangel, blessed John the Baptist, 
the holy apostles Peter and Paul, and all the 
saints, to pray to the Lord our God for me. 

May the Almighty God have mercy on me, for¬ 
give me my sins, and bring me to everlasting life. 
Amen. 

May the almighty and merciful Lord grant me 
pardon, absolution, and remission of all my sins. 
Amen. 

To thee, 0 merciful Queen of heaven and earth, 
I have recourse. It has never been heard of that 
any one invoked thee and was forsaken. Plead 
for me before, thy divine Son and obtain for me 
the pardon of my sins. 

AT THE INTROIT. 

Hail, holy Mother, who didst bring forth the 
King who reigns over heaven and earth forever! 

Hail, Mary, full of grace! the Lord is with 
thee; blessed art thou amongst women, and 
blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy 
Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and 
at the hour of our death. Amen. 


Mass in Honor of the Blessed Virgin. 453 


THE KYRIE ELEISON. 

0 Lord, have mercy on me! 0 Jesus, have 
mercy on me! 0 Lord Jesus, have mercy on me, 
a sinner! 

0 Mary, Refuge of sinners, pray for me! 

AT THE GLORIA IN EXCELSIS. 

Glory be to God on high, and peace on earth 
to men of good will. 0 my God! I unite my 
praises with those which the heavenly spirits sang 
to Thee on that night, when Thy beloved Son, 
made man, was born of the Virgin Mary in the 
stable of Bethlehem. My heart is full of glad¬ 
ness, because for my salvation the Word of God 
was made man, and dwelt among* men. Glory, 
praise, and adoration be to God the Father, to 
God the Son, and to God the Holy Ghost, three. 
persons in one God. 0 holy Virgin Mary, thou 
art the glorious Mother of my Redeemer. Re¬ 
member the joy thy immaculate and maternal 
heart did feel when for the first time thou didst 
behold, adore, and embrace thy God and thy in¬ 
fant Son in the stable of Bethlehem. 0 blessed 
Mother of God, pray to thy Son, that I may be 
made partaker of the joy of heaven. Amen. 


454 


General Prayers. 


AT THE COLLECT. 

Grant, we beseech Thee, 0 Almighty God, that 
Thy faithful, who rejoice under the name and 
protection of the most blessed Virgin Mary, may, 
by her pious intercession, be delivered from all 
evils here on earth, and be brought to the eternal 
joy of heaven. Through Christ our Lord. Amen. * 

FOR THE CHURCH. 

Mercifully hear, 0 Lord, the prayers of Thy 
Church, that all opposition and error being re¬ 
moved, she may serve Thee with undisturbed 
devotion. 


FOR THE POPE. 

0 Lord God, the pastor and ruler of all the 
faithful, look down on Thy servant N., whom 
Thou hast appointed pastor over Thy Church, 
and grant, we beseech Thee, that he may edify, 
both by word and example, those who are under 
his charge, and that with the flock entrusted to 
him he may arrive at eternal happiness. Through 
Christ our Lord. Amen. 

AT THE EPISTLE. 

0 almighty and merciful God, who never ceas- 
est to direct our hearts to the knowledge of Thy 


Mass in Honor of the Blessed Virgin. 455 

law, to instruct us through the ministry of Thy 
holy Church, grant that we may faithfully attend 
to the lessons of salvation which Thou givest us. 
May Thy holy word fructify in the soil of our 
hearts; may our souls he guided by Thy holy law, 
and directed to the possession of Thee. 0 God, 
have mercy on us, and bring us to Thee, as by 
the appearance of a miraculous star Thou didst 
bring the Wise Men to the stable of Bethlehem, 
where they found and adored the Saviour in the 
arms of the Blessed Virgin Mary, his holy 
Mother, and offered him, with their hearts, their 
mysterious presents. 0 blessed Mary, obtain for 
us the grace to follow the inspirations of the Holy 
Ghost, and amid the perils that beset our path in 
this world, to direct our steps in the way of sal¬ 
vation. 0 Mary, guide us to Jesus, 

... by the light of thee, 

0 bright and shining Star of the sea! 

AT THE GOSPEL. 

My dear Kedeemer, I give Thee thanks for the 
inestimable favor Thou hast bestowed upon me, 
by calling me to the knowledge of Thy holy Gos¬ 
pel, and making me a child of the one holy 
Catholic and Apostolic Church. I believe and 
confess all and each of the articles of faith which 
Thou hast revealed to Thy Church, and which 


456 


General Prayers. 


the same Church proposes and teaches. I am 
ready, if it be Thy will, to shed the last drop of 
my blood for my faith. I return Thee thanks for 
that love which prompted Thee to leave to Thy 
Church in the holy Sacrament of the altar Thy 
body and blood, Thy soul and divinity. I believe, 
0 Lord, that Thou art really present in the Holy 
Eucharist. When with the eyes of faith I see my 
Lord upon the altar, I can say: “Now, 0 Lord, 
let Thy servant depart in peace, for my eyes have 
seen my salvation.” 

0 sweet Mary! Thou didst bring thy holy Son 
to the Temple, and didst offer him to the Eternal 
Father. The holy man, Simeon, received Jesus 
in his arms from thy hands. Oh, bring my 
Saviour into my poor heart, that I may love 
nothing else but him and thee. Amen. 

If the Credo be said at Mass, say the Apostles’ 
Creed. 


AT THE OFFERTORY. 

0 holy Father, almighty and eternal God, ac¬ 
cept from the hands of Thy minister the unspot¬ 
ted Host, which he offers Thee in the name of 
the Church, for the honor, glory, and adoration 
of Thy divine Majesty, in memory of the nativity, 
life, sufferings, death, resurrection, and ascension 
of Our Lord Jesus Christ, and in honor of the 


Mass in Honor of the Blessed Virgin. 457 

Blessed Virgin Mary, and of all the saints. In 
the spirit of humility and contrition of heart I 
now offer to Thee, 0 Lord, this bread and wine, 
which, through the words of benediction, which 
Christ our Lord instituted at the Last Supper, 
will be changed into the body and blood of Thy 
divine Son, Our Saviour. Come, 0 almighty and 
eternal God, the sanctifier, and bless this sacrifice 
prepared for the praise and glory of Thy holy 
name. Receive, 0 Lord, this sacrifice to the 
praise and glory of Thy infinite Majesty, to our 
benefit, and to that of the whole Church, and also 
to the honor of the blessed Mother of Jesus 
Christ, that she may vouchsafe to intercede for 
us in heaven whose memory we celebrate on 
earth. Through Christ our Lord. Amen. 

0 merciful God, direct and assist me in the 
dangers of this life, as Thou didst direct Mary, 
the blessed Mother of Jesus, and her pure spouse, 
St. Joseph, in their flight into Egypt. 0 Lord, 
save Thy servants, who repose all their confidence 
in Thee, and who honor Thy blessed Mother. 

SECRET. 

May this oblation procure us peace and happi¬ 
ness here and hereafter, through the intercession 
of the Blessed Virgin Mary. 


458 


General Prayers. 


FOR THE CHURCH. 

Protect us, 0 Lord, while we assist at Thy 
sacred mysteries, that being employed in acts of 
religion we may serve Thee both in body and 
mind. 

FOR THE POPE. 

Be appeased, 0 Lord, with the offering we have 
•made, and cease not to protect Thy servant, N., 
whom Thou hast been pleased to appoint Pastor 
over Thy Church. Through Christ our Lord. 
Amen. 

AT THE PREFACE. 

It is truly meet and just, right and available 
to salvation, that we should always, and in all 
places, give thanks to Thee, 0 holy Lord, Father 
Almighty, eternal God, and bless and glorify 
Thee, on the veneration of the blessed Mary, ever 
virgin, who, by the overshadowing of the Holy 
Ghost, conceived Thy only begotten Son, and her 
virginity still remaining, brought forth the eter¬ 
nal Light of the world, Jesus Christ our Lord. By 
whom the angels praise Thy Majesty, the domina¬ 
tions adore it, the powers tremble before it, the 
heavens, the heavenly virtues and blessed sera¬ 
phim with common jubilee glorify it. Together 


Mass in Honor of the Blessed Virgin. 459 

with whom we beseech Thee, that we may be ad¬ 
mitted to join our humble voices, saying: 

Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of Sabaoth; the 
heavens and the earth are full of Thy glory. 
Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is he that com- 
eth in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the 
highest. 


AT THE CANON. 

0 Almighty God! Thy beloved Son and my Lord 
Jesus Christ hath commanded me, by his words 
and examples, to be always occupied with the 
things that are Thine. It was in the Temple that 
his blessed Mother and St. Joseph found him 
on the third day after his departure from them. 
Grant that I may never depart from Thee by sin. 
But if I ever have the misfortune of forfeiting 
Thy holy grace, I will sue again for mercy in the 
Sacrament of Penance. Pray for me, 0 glorious 
Mother of God, and be my advocate before thy 
Son. At thy suggestion he changed, in Cana of 
Galilee, water into wine; beg of him to change 
my heart too, to purify and sanctify it, that it 
may be worthy of him forever. 

0 my God, when Mary pronounced these words: 
“Behold the handmaid of the Lord, be it done 
unto me according to thy word,” Thy only begot¬ 
ten Son became incarnate in her womb. In like 


460 


General Prayers. 


manner at the words of consecration, which are 
about to be pronounced by Thy minister, the 
same Jesus Christ, Thy Son, descends on our al¬ 
tars, and miraculously changes the substance of 
bread and wine into his body and blood, soul and 
divinity. I humbly adore Thee, 0 loving Saviour, 
in this mystery of Thy love. Through that 
divine charity which moved Thee to utter those 
consoling words a few moments before the insti¬ 
tution of this sacrament: “With desire I have 
desired to eat this passover with you before I 
suffer,” I beg of Thee to have mercy on me, and 
to forgive me my sins. Help me in my necessi¬ 
ties, strengthen me against the enemies of my 
soul, and grant me the grace I stand in need of 
to secure my eternal salvation. 

I pray to Thee also, 0 Lord, for Thy holy 
Church, for our holy Father the Pope, for our 
bishops, and all pastors of souls; for my parents, 
relations, benefactors, friends, and enemies. 
Grant Thy particular blessings to the pious 
clients of Thy blessed Mother. Bless the poor, 
the sick, and those who are in their agony. Have 
mercy on those who have recommended them¬ 
selves to my prayers, who pray for me, and finally 
on all those for whom I am in justice or charity 
bound to pray. Grant peace and concord to all 
Christian princes and people. Convert poor sin- 



Mass in Honor of the Blessed Virgin. 461 


ners, enlighten infidels, and bring back heretics 
from the ways of error. May all be united in one 
fold, under one shepherd, Jesus Christ, the true 
pastor of our souls. 

Holy Mary, thy divine Son now comes upon the 
altar. Present to him my lowly adoration. 0 
my Jesus, come; come, my Saviour. Receive the 
prayers I offer Thee through the hands of Thy 
blessed Mother. Come, 0 Lord Jesus. With the 
angels, who are prostrate before the altar, I ex¬ 
claim: Holy, holy, holy. Hosanna to him that 
cometh from the highest heavens—ever blessed 
be his name! 

AT THE ELEVATION OF THE HOST. 

0 Jesus Christ, Thou art the true Son of God. 
I adore Thee in this holy Sacrament. Be Thou 
propitious to me and forgive me my sins. 

AT THE ELEVATION OF THE CHALICE. 

0 adorable blood, which J esus the true Son of 
God and true Son of Mary, has shed for me on 
the cross! I adore Thee, 0 my Redeemer, and I 
hide myself in Thy sacred wounds, from which 
the price of my redemption flowed. 0 Jesus, 
grant that I may live for Thee and die for Thee. 
Help, 0 Lord, Thy servants whom Thou hast re¬ 
deemed with Thy precious blood. 


462 


General Prayers. 


AN ACT OF THANKSGIVING. 

Accept, 0 most merciful God, the sacrifice of 
Thy Son in thanksgiving for all the benefits Thou 
hast granted me. Thou hast created me to Thy 
own image and likeness. Thou hast redeemed 
me with Thy Son’s precious blood; Thou hast 
called me to the true faith, and preserved me 
from eternal death, which I so often deserved for 
my sins. What return shall I make Thee for 
these and all Thy favors? I offer Thee Thy only 
Son, who, before he instituted this most' holy 
Sacrament, lifted up his eyes, and gave thanks to 
Thee, his Father Almighty. I olfer him now 
immolated on this altar; and thus I make an ade¬ 
quate thanksgiving for all the blessings Thou 
hast bestowed on me and on all mankind. 

AN ACT OF SUPPLICATION. 

0 my God, I am unworthy to appear before 
Thee. I acknowledge my misery and poverty. 
Thou art the fountain of all grace, and the source 
of all good. Thy beloved Son has commanded 
me to pray to Thee, and to call Thee by the con¬ 
soling name of Father. Therefore I prostrate 
myself with confidence before Thee, and present 
to Thee my humble supplication through the 
same Lord Jesus Christ, who makes intercession 


Mass in Honor of the Blessed Virgin. 463 

for me. Grant me a lively faith, a firm and con¬ 
stant hope, and an ardent charity towards Thee 
and my neighbor. Save my soul. Give me 
strength to vanquish my spiritual enemies. Grant 
me an humble resignation to Thy holy will in 
the adversities of this life—and above all the 
gifts of final perseverance in Thy love and ser¬ 
vice. Through Christ our Lord. Amen. 

Have mercy also, 0 Lord, on the souls of the 
faithful departed—on those of my parents, bene¬ 
factors, relations, friends, and on all those for 
wdiom I am bound to pray. Remember, 0 Lord,, 
those w T ho while living were most devoted to Thy 
blessed Mother; grant them all rest from their 
torments, and bring them to heaven. I apply to 
the souls in purgatory the holy indulgences 
granted to the faithful who assist at the holy sac¬ 
rifice of the Mass, and I intend to enter into the 
dispositions necessary to gain them, through Thy 
grace and mercy. 

Our Father, who art in heaven, etc. 

0 my Redeemer! Thou hast commanded me 
by word and example to forgive my enemies. I 
forgive them from the bottom of my heart, for 
the love of Thee. Grant them, 0 Lord, all the 
graces and blessings that are necessary for their 
spiritual and temporal welfare. 

Thou didst not forget me, 0 sweet Jesus, even 


464 


General Prayers. 


in Thy agony. Before expiring on the cross Thou 
didst leave me Thy sorrowful and afflicted Mother 
to he my Mother also. “ Behold thy Son—be¬ 
hold thy Mother.” I return Thee thanks, 0 my 
Saviour, for this inestimable favor. And thou, 
my tender Mother, thou hast begotten me at the 
foot of the cross. I am the child of thy sorrow. 
Take me under thy protection. Conduct me to 
Jesus. Teach me to love him. 0 Mother, 0 
tender Mother! how happy am I in the glorious 
privilege of being thy child. 0 Mary, show that 
thou art my Mother. 

Lamb of Cod, who takest away the sins of the 
world, have mercy on me. (Three times.) 

SPIRITUAL COMMUNION. 

0 Jesus! Thou hast given us in Thy Holy 
Eucharist Thy body and blood to be our spiritual 
nourishment, through which we may have life 
everlasting. Would that I were worthy to receive 
Thee this day in the holy Communion! I desire, 
with all my heart, to receive the living bread, 
which came down from heaven; but I am un¬ 
worthy—I do not dare approach Thee. 

0 Lord, I am not worthy that Thou shouldst 
enter under my roof; say but the word and my 
soul shall be saved. (Three times.) 

0 sweet Mother, obtain for me the grace of 


Mass in Honor of the Blessed Virgin. 465 


receiving the holy Communion with worthy dis¬ 
positions, especially in my last sickness, when I 
shall be about to appear before the tribunal of 
God, that, through the merits of my Saviour’s 
death and Passion, and thy intercession, I may 
have life everlasting. Amen. 

AFTER COMMUNION. 

My loving Saviour, after having suffered for 
three hours the most cruel agony; after having 
accomplished all that had been foretold of Thee, 
Thou didst expire on the cross. All nature trem¬ 
bled at Thy death. The rocks were split asunder 
—and yet, alas, my ungrateful heart is insensible. 
I have, by my sins, been Thy heartless execu¬ 
tioner. 0 my Redeemer, how can I dare to stand 
before Thee? But Thou didst pardon the peni¬ 
tent thief; and this inspires me with the hope 
that Thou wilt pardon me also, and admit me, 
like him, to the enjoyment of Thy happy king¬ 
dom. 

0 Mary, Queen of martyrs, through the sorrow 
which overwhelmed thy heart at the foot of the 
cross, while thou wert witnessing the last painful 
act of Our Saviour’s Passion—through the an¬ 
guish thou didst feel when thou didst accompany 
his sacred body to the tomb, and the desolation 
thou didst experience on thy return, I beseech 


466 


General Prayers. 


thee to obtain that his Passion and thy sorrows 
may be ever engraven on my heart, that I may 
never cease to deplore my sins, which were the 
cause of his death and of thy anguish. 

AT THE POST COMMUNION. 

Having received, 0 Lord, what is calculated to 
advance our salvation, grant that we may be al¬ 
ways protected by the patronage of the blessed 
Mary, ever virgin, in whose honor we have offered 
this sacrifice to Thy divine Majesty. 

FOE THE CHUECH. 

We beseech Thee, 0 Lord, not to leave exposed 
to the perils of human life those whom Thou hast 
permitted to partake of these mysteries. 

FOE THE POPE. 

We beseech Thee, 0 Lord, that the participa¬ 
tion of this divine Sacrament may protect us from 
all dangers, and redound to the safety and de¬ 
fence of Thy servant N., whom Thou hast ap¬ 
pointed pastor over Thy Church, together with 
the flock committed to his charge. Through 
Christ our Lord. Amen. 

AT THE BENEDICTION. 

Holy and adorable Trinity, Father, Son, and 
Holy Ghost, to Thee be honor, praise, and glory. 


Mass in Honor of the Blessed Virgin. 467 

May this blessing, which I humbly receive from 
the hands of Thy minister, be an anticipation of 
that one which I trust Thou wilt give me after 
my death, and on the day of judgment. May the 
blessing of God the Father, of God the Son, and 
of God the Holy Ghost come upon me now and 
forevermore. Amen. 

AT THE LAST GOSPEL. 

0 my God, I believe in Thee, I hope in Thee, 
and I love Thee with all my heart. May Thy 
holy Gospel be propagated throughout the world. 
Assist the ministers whom Thou hast appointed 
to carry the light of faith to unbelievers, or to 
revive it among lukewarm Christians. Grant to 
all the clergy that spirit of zeal, fortitude, and 
knowledge which Thou didst impart to Thy holy 
Apostles on the day of Pentecost. Thou hast 
commanded us, 0 Lord, to pray to the Lord of 
the harvest, that he may send laborers to work 
in his vineyard. Wherefore I humbly beseech 
Thee, who didst open the prophets’ mouths, and 
didst call the Apostles to announce Thy word, to 
send us worthy pastors, and to grant that they 
may edify the flock, destroy errors and abuses, 
root out vice, dispel ignorance, and establish Thy 
reign in the souls Thou hast redeemed with Thy 
blood. 0 Word of God made flesh, grant us the 


468 


General Prayers . 


grace that we may be admitted to the kingdom of 
Thy glory. Amen. 

A PRAYER AFTER MASS. 

I give Thee thanks, 0 my God, for having per¬ 
mitted me to assist at this holy sacrifice. I 
humbly ask pardon for all the negligences and 
distractions I may have given way to. Eternal 
praise be given to Thy holy name, for all the 
privileges bestowed on the Blessed Virgin Mary, 
whom Thou didst preserve from the stain of orig¬ 
inal sin, and didst make worthy to be the Mother 
of Our Redeemer. Thou didst place her on a 
throne of glory to be Queen of heaven and 
earth. I rejoice at her glory, because she is the 
Mother of Jesus, and my Mother also. 0 loving 
Mother, protect thy children, and conduct them 
to heaven. 0 holy Mary, succor the distressed; 
strengthen the weak; comfort the afflicted; pray 
for the people; intercede for the clergy; make 
supplication for devout women. May all experi¬ 
ence thy assistance who celebrate thy holy com¬ 
memoration. 

V. Pray for us, 0 holy Mother of God. 

P. That we may be made worthy of the prom¬ 
ises of Christ. 


Mass in Honor of the Blessed Virgin. 469 
Let us Pray. 

Grant, we beseech Thee, 0 Lord, that we Thy 
servants may enjoy perpetual health of mind and 
body; and, by the glorious intercession of the 
Blessed Virgin Mary, may be delivered from 
present sorrow and attain to eternal joy. Through 
Christ our Lord. Amen. 

PRAYERS ORDERED BY POPE LEO XIII. 

To be said kneeling after the celebration of Low 
Mass. 

The priest with the people recites the “ Hail 
Mary” thrice; then the 

SALVE REGINA. 

Hail, holy Queen, Mother of mercy, our life,, 
our sweetness, and our hope. To thee do we cry, 
poor banished children of Eve. To thee do we 
send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this 
valley of tears. Turn, then, most gracious advo¬ 
cate, thine eyes of mercy towards us, and after 
this our exile show unto us the blessed fruit of 
thy womb, Jesus. 0 clement, 0 loving, 0 sweet 
Virgin Mary! 

V. Pray for us, 0 holy Mother of GoJ. 

R. That we may be made worthy of the prom¬ 
ises of Christ. 


470 


General Prayers. 


Let us Pray. 

0 God, our refuge and our strength, look down 
with favor upon Thy people who cry to Thee; 
and through the intercession of the glorious and 
immaculate Virgin Mary, Mother of God, of her 
spouse, blessed Joseph, of Thy holy apostles Peter 
and Paul, and all the saints, mercifully and gra¬ 
ciously hear the prayers which we pour forth to 
Thee for the conversion of sinners and the lib¬ 
erty and exaltation of holy mother Church. 
Through Christ our Lord. Amen. 

Add the invocation: 

St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle, 
be our protection against the malice and snares of 
the devil. We humbly beseech God to command 
him, and do thou, 0 prince of the heavenly host, 
by the divine power thrust into hell Satan and 
the other evil spirits who roam through the world 
seeking the ruin of souls. Amen. 


METHOD OF HEARING MASS, 

By St. Leonard of Port Maurice. 

We owe four duties to God: 

1. Praise or adoration. 

2. Satisfaction or expiation. 

3. Thanksgiving. 



Method of Hearing Mass. 


471 


4. Acknowledgment of our dependence on 
him, as the Author and Principle of grace. 

1. Feom the Beginning of the Mass to the 
Gospel. 

Sink into the abyss of your nothingness before 
the infinite Majesty of God, reciting the Confiteor 
or any appropriate prayer, then say: 

0 my God, I adore Thee, and acknowledge 
Thee to be the Lord and Master of my soul! I 
protest that all I am and have are Thy gifts. 
And, because Thy Majesty merits infinite honor 
and homage, I, who am a poor miserable creature, 
utterly incapable of paying the great debt which 
I owe to Thee, offer to Thee the humiliations 
and homage which Jesus Christ offers to Thee on 
the altar. What Jesus does, I intend to do like¬ 
wise, in union with him. I humble and prostrate 
myself before Thy majesty: I adore T'hee, in 
union with the humiliations of Jesus. I am filled 
with joy and delight in reflecting that Jesus gives 
Thee, for me, infinite honor and homage. 

2. From the Gospel to the Elevation. 

Behold, my God, the traitor, who has so often re¬ 
belled against Thee. Ah! with a sorrowful heart, 
and with all the affQctions of my soul, I abhor 
and detest my most grievous sins, and I offer for 


472 


General Prayers. 


them the same satisfaction which Jesus presents 
to Thee on the altar. I offer to Thee all the 
merits of Jesus, the blood of Jesus, Jesus en¬ 
tirely, God and man, who is here immolated 
again for me. And since my Jesus himself is 
on this altar my Mediator and my Advocate, and 
since, with his most precious blood, he implored 
pardon for me, I unite with the cry of his blood, 
and supplicate mercy for all my sins. The blood 
of Jesus cries for mercy, and my sorrowful heart 
also implores mercy. Ah! my dear God, if my 
tears do not move Thee, let at least the groans 
of my Jesus excite Thy pity. Why should he 
not obtain for me that mercy which he obtained 
for the human race upon the cross? Yes, I hope 
that for the sake of that most precious blood. 
Thou wilt pardon all my most grievous sins, 
which I will continue to bewail till my last 
breath. 

3. From the Elevation to the Communion. 

Behold me, 0 my most loving God! loaded with 
the general and particular benefits which Thou 
hast bestowed, and wilt bestow upon me in time 
and eternity. I know that Thy mercies to me 
have been, and are, infinite. But I am ready to 
pay Thee for all, even to the last farthing. Be¬ 
hold the tribute of my gratitude, the payment 


Method of Hearing Mass. 


473 


which I offer for all Thy goodness, is this divine 
blood, this most precious body, this innocent Vic¬ 
tim, which I present to Thee by the hands of the 
priest. I am certain that this oblation is suffi¬ 
cient to pay for all the gifts Thou hast conferred 
upon me; this gift of infinite value is an equiva¬ 
lent for all the favors I have ever received, or 
now receive, from Thee. Ah! ye holy angels, and 
all ye blessed spirits, help me to thank my God; 
and in thanksgiving for his great benefits offer 
to him not only the Mass, but also all the Masses 
that are now celebrated throughout the whole 
world, that his loving goodness may be fully 
recompensed for all the graces which he has be¬ 
stowed, and is to bestow, upon me now and for 
eternity. Amen. 

4. From the Communion to the End. 

Make a spiritual communion if you do not receive 
really. 

My dear God, I acknowledge that I am utterly 
unworthy of Thy favor; I confess my infinite un¬ 
worthiness, and that, for my manifold and griev¬ 
ous sins, I do not deserve to be heard. But how 
canst Thou refuse to hear Thy divine Son, who, 
on this altar, prays for me, and offers for me his 
blood and his life? Ah! my most loving God, 
hear the prayers of this my great Advocate, and 


474 


General Prayers. 


for his sake grant me all the graces which Thou 
knowest to be necessary to secure the great affair 
of my eternal salvation. I am now encouraged 
to ask of Thee a general pardon of all my sins and 
the gift of final perseverance. Trusting in the 
prayers of my Jesus, I ask of Thee, 0 my God! 
all virtues in a heroic degree, and all the effica¬ 
cious helps necessary to make me truly a saint. 
I ask of Thee the conversion of all sinners, and 
particularly of those who are related to me, either 
by ties of kindred, or spiritually; I ask of Thee 
the deliverance, not of one soul only, but of all 
the souls in purgatory. Deliver them all, so that 
by the efficacy of this divine sacrifice that prison 
of purification may remain empty. Convert all 
living souls; may this miserable world become a 
paradise of delights for Thee, in which having 
been loved, and reverenced, and praised by all, 
may we come at length to praise and bless Thee 
for all eternity. Amen. 

Ask here, with confidence, for the fulness of all 
good, for yourself, for the holy Church, for your 
relatives, and for the relief of the suffering souls in 
purgatory. 

The above prayers may be repeated over and over, 
or similar ones used, as no particular words are 
necessary. 

xYfter Mass, make an act of thanksgiving, and 
leave the church in a spirit of contrition, as if you 
were returning from Calvary. 


Mass for the Dead. 


475 


MASS FOR THE DEAD. 

AT THE BEGINNING OF MASS. 

Deliver me, 0 Lord, from eternal death in that 
tremendous day when the heavens and the earth 
shall he shaken, when Thou shalt come to judge 
the world with fire. Seized am I with trembling, 
and I fear for that approaching trial and that 
wrath to come. Oh, that day, that day of wrath, 
of calamity, and misery; that great and bitter day, 
indeed, when Thou shalt come to judge the world 
with fire! 

Eternal rest give them, 0 Lord, and let per¬ 
petual light shine on them. May they rest in 
peace. Amen. 


THE CONFITEOR. 

I confess to Almighty God, to blessed Mary, 
ever Virgin, to blessed Michael the Archangel, to 
blessed John the Baptist, to the holy apostles 
Peter and Paul, to all the saints, and to you, 
father, that I have sinned exceedingly in thought, 
word, and deed, through my fault, through my 
fault, through my most grievous fault. There¬ 
fore I beseech the blessed Mary, ever virgin, the 
blessed Michael the Archangel, the blessed John 
the Baptist, the holy apostles Peter and Paul, and 


476 


General Prayers. 


all the saints, and yon, father, to pray to the Lord 
onr God for me. 

Pray, then, for pardon, thus: 

May God have mercy on me, forgive my sins, 
and lead me to eternal life! May the almighty 
and merciful God grant me the pardon, absolu¬ 
tion, and remission of all my sins! 

INTROIT. 

When the priest mounts the steps of the altar, 
imagine you hear the souls in purgatory repeating 
the following verses, as if to implore your prayers: 

Have pity on me, have pity on me, at least you, 
my friends, because the hand of the Lord hath 
touched me. My flesh is consumed, my hone hath 
cleaved to my skin, and nothing but lips are left 
about my teeth. Have pity on me, have pity on 
me, at least you, my friends. (Job xix. 20, 21.) 

Eternal rest, etc. 

KYRIE ELEISON. 

Lord, have mercy on them! 

Christ, have mercy on them! 

Lord, have mercy on them! 

Repeat each three times. 

THE COLLECT. 

0 God, the Creator and Redeemer of all the 
faithful, give to the souls of Thy servants de- 


Mass for the Dead. 


477 


parted the remission of all their sins, that through 
the help of pious supplications they may obtain 
the pardon which they have always desired. Who 
livest and reignest world without end. Amen. 

THE EPISTLE. 

In those days the most valiant Judas, having 
made a gathering, sent twelve thousand drachms 
of silver to Jerusalem for sacrifice to be offered 
for the sins of the dead, thinking well and reli¬ 
giously concerning the resurrection. (For if he 
had not hoped that they that were slain should 
rise again it would have seemed superfluous and 
vain to pray for the dead.) And because he con¬ 
sidered that they who had fallen asleep with god¬ 
liness had great grace laid up for them. It is, 
therefore, a holy and wholesome thought to pray 
for the dead, that they may be loosed from sins. 
(II. Mach, xii.) 

GRADUAL. 

Grant to them eternal rest, 0 Lord, and may 
perpetual light shine on them. The just shall be 
in everlasting remembrance; he shall not fear the 
evil hearing. (Ps. cxi.) 

TRACT. 

Eelease, 0 Lord, the souls of all the faithful 
departed from the bonds of their sins; and by the 


478 


General Prayers. 


assistance of Thy grace may they escape the sen¬ 
tence of condemnation, and enjoy the bliss of 
eternal light. 

Here, sometimes, is said the following hymn. 
When you perceive it is not said at the altar, you 
may pass it over also, and go on to the Gospel. 

DIES IRiE. 

Higher still, and still more nigh, 

Draws the day of prophecy, 

Doom’d to melt the earth and sky. 

Oh, what trembling there shall be 
When the world its Judge shall see, 
Coming in dread majesty! 

Hark! the trumpet thrilling tone 
From sepulchral regions lone 
Summons all before the throne. 

Time and death it doth appall 
To see the buried ages all 
Eise to answer at the call. 

How the books are open spread, 

How the writing must be read 
Which condemns the quick and dead. 



Mass for the Dead. 


479 


Now before the Judge severe 
Hidden things must all appear; 
Naught can pass unpunished here. 

What shall guilty I then plead? 

Who for me will intercede, 

When the saints shall comfort need? 

King of dreadful majesty! 

Who doth freely justify. 

Fount of pity, save Thou me! 

Recollect, 0 Love divine! 

’Twas for this lost sheep of Thine 
Thou Thy glory didst resign. 

Satest wearied seeking me, 

Sufferedst upon the tree; 

Let not vain Thy labor be. 

Judge of justice, hear my prayer; 
Spare me, Lord, in mercy spare, 

Ere the reckoning-day appear. 

Lo, Thy gracious face I seek! 

Shame and grief are on my cheek; 
Sighs and tears my sorrows speak. 


480 


General Prayers . 


Thou didst Mary’s guilt forgive. 

Didst the dying thief receive, 

Hence doth hope within me live. 

Worthless are my prayers, I know, 

Yet, oh, cause me not to go 
Into everlasting woe. 

Severed from the guilty hand, 

Make me with Thy sheep to stand, 

Placing me on Thy right hand. 

When the cursed in anguish flee 
Into flames of misery, 

With the blest then call Thou me. 

Suppliant in the dust I lie! 

My heart a cinder, crushed and dry; 

Help me, Lord, when death is nigh! 

Full of tears, and full of dread, 

Is the day that wakes the dead; 

Calling all with solemn blast, 

From the ashes of the past. 

Lord of mercy, Jesus blest. 

Grant tlie faithful light and rest. Amen. 


Mass for the Dead. 


481 


THE GOSPEL. 

At that time Jesus said to the multitude of the 
Jews: Amen, amen, I say unto you that the hour 
cometh, and now is, when the dead shall hear the 
voice of the Son of God, and they that hear shall 
live. For as the Father hath life in himself, so 
hath he given to the Son also to have life in 
himself; and he hath given him power to do 
judgment, because he is the Son of man. Won¬ 
der not at this, for the hour cometh wherein all 
that are in the graves shall hear the voice of the 
Son of God; and they that have done good shall 
come forth unto the resurrection of life; hut they 
that have done evil, unto the resurrection of 
judgment. (John v.) 

THE OFFERTORY. 

0 Lord Jesus Christ, King of glory! deliver the 
souls of all the faithful departed from the flames 
of hell and from the deep pit. Deliver them from 
the lion’s mouth, lest hell swallow them, lest they 
fall into darkness; and let Thy standard-bearer, 
St. Michael, bring them into the holy light which 
Thou hast promised of old to Abraham and his 
posterity. We offer Thee, 0 Lord, a sacrifice of 
praise and of prayer: accept it on behalf of the 


482 


General Prayers. 


souls we commemorate this day, and let them 
pass from death to life. 

Here make an offering also of your own death and 
sufferings in union with the holy sacrifice, thus: 

0 my God, I offer Thee also the hour of my 
death and all the pains I am destined to suffer 
from this moment until my last breath. Give me 
strength to bear them with perfect conformity 
to Thy will. I cheerfully offer Thee, moreover, 
all the pains which Thou shalt prepare for me 
in purgatory. 

It is just that the fire should punish in me all 
the insults I have offered to Thee. 0 holy prison, 
when shall I find myself shut up in thee, secure 
of never again being able to lose my God? 0 
holy fire, when wilt thou purify me from so many 
stains and render me worthy to enter the land of 
bliss? I offer all these pains to Thy glory, unit¬ 
ing them with the bitter pains of Jesus’ Passion. 
Eternal Father! I sacrifice to Thee my life and 
my whole being. I entreat Thee to accept this 
my sacrifice in union with and through the merits 
of this great sacrifice of Jesus Christ, Thy Son. 
Amen. 

Almighty God, who art the guardian of souls, 
the safeguard of salvation, and the confidence of 
all believers, look mercifully down upon us, and 
through the merits of Thy dear Son, whose sacred 


Mass for the Dead. 


483 


body we offer in this sacrifice, bless the graves of 
our departed friends, that those mortal bodies 
which there repose, after the course of this life 
is ended, may with their happy souls at the great 
judgment day be found worthy to participate in 
the rewards of eternal life. 

Enter not, 0 Lord, into judgment with these 
Thy servants, for with Thee shall no man be 
justified except through Thee the remission.of all 
his sins shall be accorded. We beseech Thee, 
therefore, let not the sentence of Thy justice lie 
heavy upon those whom the earnest prayer of 
Christian faith recommends to Thee; but rather, 
by the succor of Thy grace, may they be found 
worthy to escape the avenging judgment who 
were signed with the seal of the Holy Trinity 
while they lived. 

Graciously regard, 0 Lord, these gifts which 
we offer Thee for the souls of the faithful de¬ 
parted, that, by celestial remedies made pure, 
they may repose in Thy compassionate mercy. 
Through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, Our Lord. 
Amen. 

When the priest, turning towards the people, says, 
“ Orate, fratres ” (“Pray, my brethren”), answer: 

May the Lord receive this sacrifice from thy 
hands, to the praise and glory of his holy name. 


484 


General Prayers. 


for the salvation of onr souls, and for the repose 
of the faithful departed. 

THE SECRET. 

Look favorably down, 0 Lord, we beseech 
Thee, upon this sacrifice which we offer for the 
souls of Thy departed servants, that, as Thou 
wast pleased to bestow on them the merit of 
Christian faith, Thou mayest also grant them its 
reward. Through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, Our 
Lord. Amen. 


THE PREFACE. 

It is truly meet and right, just and salutary, 
that we should always and everywhere give thanks 
to Thee, 0 holy Lord, Almighty Father, everlast¬ 
ing God, through Christ our Lord, who by dying 
hath destroyed death for us, and rising again hath 
renewed our life, and who hath left us this tre¬ 
mendous sacrifice as a propitation for our sins 
and for the sins of the faithful departed. Merci¬ 
fully grant, therefore, that they for whom it is 
offered this day may speedily be released from all 
their sufferings, and find eternal rest and per¬ 
petual light with Thee in paradise; that there 
we, with them, may praise and celebrate Thy 
majesty, in company with all the angels and arch¬ 
angels, the celestial powers, the blessed seraphs, 


Mass for the Dead. 


485 


and the whole host of heaven, who chant Thy 
glory, evermore repeating: Holy! holy! holy! is 
the Lord God of armies! the heavens and the 
earth are full of Thy glory! Hosanna in the high¬ 
est! Blessed is he who cometh in the name of 
the Lord! Hosanna in the highest! 

THE CANON. 

We therefore suppliantly beseech Thee, 0 
Father of mercies, through Jesus Christ, Thy 
Son, Our Lord, graciously to accept and bless 
this holy sacrifice which we offer Thee for the 
peace and prosperity of the holy Catholic Church, 
for Thy servant, our father, Pope [N.], for our 
bishop and clergy, and for all Thy faithful Catho¬ 
lic people, for the living, that they may prepare 
for death, and for the dead that they may obtain 
eternal rest. 

MEMENTO OF THE LIVING. 

Be mindful, 0 Lord, of Thy servants N.N. [here 
pause and recommend to God any living friend 
for whom you feel urged to pray during this Mass], 
and of all those friends who are very near and 
very dear to me, and of all those who have asked 
for or desire my prayers, or for whom I ought 
especially to pray; and so direct and strengthen 


486 


General Prayers. 


them by Thy holy grace during life that at the 
hour of their death the enemy may not prevail 
against them. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. 

0 almighty and merciful God! who hast be¬ 
stowed on the human race both the means of 
salvation and the gift of eternal life, look gra¬ 
ciously' upon us, Thy servants, and cherish these 
souls which Thou hast created, that in the hour 
of our departure, being free from the stain of sin, 
we may merit to be borne upwards by the hands 
of the holy angels to Thee, Our Creator. 

Accept, 0 Lord, we beseech Thee, this sacrifice 
which we offer Thee for the souls of the faithful 
departed, and grant to us also who still remain 
the grace of a happy death, that by it, being 
purged of all our faults, we, who in this life are 
afflicted by the scourges of Thy dispensation, may 
receive our eternal rest in the life to come. 

When the first sound of the bell announces that 
the priest is about to begin the Consecration, say: 

0 God, may this offering be blessed, and in 
every way acceptable and agreeable to Thee; and 
for our salvation’s sake, and for the comfort of 
departed souls, be changed into the body and 
blood of Thy dear Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ. 
Amen. 


Mass for the Dead. 


487 


THE CONSECRATION". 

At the elevation of the sacred Host, profoundly 
bowing, say: 

Hail! true body of Jesus Christ my Saviour! 
Oh, bless and sanctify my soul! 

Then add: 

Give them eternal rest, 0 Lord. 

At the elevation of the chalice say: 

Hail! true blood of Jesus, my Redeemer! Oh, 
wash me pure from all my sins! 

Then add: 

Give them eternal rest, 0 Lord. May they rest 
in peace. 


AFTER THE CONSECRATION. 

Commemorating, therefore, 0 Lord, the blessed 
Passion of Jesus Christ, Thy Son, Our Lord, his 
resurrection from the dead, and his glorious 
ascension into heaven, we offer before the throne 
of Thy most excellent majesty, in behalf of these 
departed souls whom Thy justice still detains in 
the pains of temporal punishment, this most holy, 
pure, and unspotted victim, the holy bread of 
eternal life and the chalice of everlasting sal¬ 
vation. 


488 


General Prayers. 


A SPECIAL MEMENTO OF THE DEAD. 

Be mindful especially, 0 Lord, of Thy servants 
[N.N.], who are gone before us with the sign of 
faith and rest in the sleep of peace. To these 
and to all who sleep in Christ grant, we beseech 
Thee, a place of refreshment, light, and peace. 
Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen. 

Grant, 0 Lord, to Thy servants departed that 
they may not receive a return of punishment for 
their deeds who in desire were observers of Thy 
will; and that, as here true faith has joined them 
to the company of Thy faithful, so there Thy 
mercy may associate them to the choir of angels. 

0 God, whose attribute it is always to show 
mercy and to spare, we humbly beseech Thee for 
the souls of Thy faithful servants whom Thou 
hast called out of this world that Thou wouldst 
not deliver them into the hands of the enemy, 
nor forget them until the end, but command them 
to be received by the holy angels, and so be led 
to paradise, their true country; that as they 
have believed and hoped in Thee they may not 
suffer the pains of hell, but possess everlasting 
joys. 

0 God, the light of faithful souls, be present 
to our supplications, and grant to all Thy servants 
and handmaids whose bodies rest in Christ a seat 


Mass for the Dead. 489 

of refreshment, a blissful rest, and the light of 
glory. 

We humbly pour out our prayers to Thee, 0 
Lord, for these Thy servants, beseeching Thee 
that whatever guilt they may have contracted 
through human frailty Thou wilt mercifully par¬ 
don, and place them in the seat of those happy 
souls whom Thou hast redeemed. Through 
Jesus Christ our Lord. 

To us also, sinners though we are, yet Thy ser¬ 
vants, and trusting in the multitude of Thy 
mercies, deign to grant some part and fellowship 
with all Thy saints. Into their company we be¬ 
seech Thee graciously to admit us, not weighing 
our merits, hut Thy mercy. Through Christ our 
Lord. Amen. 


PATER FOSTER. 

Kepeat with the priest: “ Our Father, who art 
in heaven,” etc.; and then offer the following 
petition: 

Deliver, 0 Lord, I beseech Thee, the souls of 
Thy servants from all sorrow and suffering, and 
bring them to the participation of Thy heavenly 
joys; and through the intercession of the blessed 
and glorious Mary, ever Virgin, Mother of God, 
of the holy apostles Peter and Paul and Andrew, 
and of all the saints, mercifully grant to me also 


490 


General Prayers. 


the pardon of my sins, grace to the remnant of 
my days, and peace in the hour of my death, that 
so, through the help of Thy mercy, in the awful 
hour of judgment I may stand before the face of 
my accusing enemy without alarm. Through 
Jesus Christ, Thy Son, Our Lord. Amen. 

AGNUS DEI. 

At the Agnus Dei pray thus: 

Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the 
world! Grant them rest. 

Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the 
world! Grant them rest. 

Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the 
world! Grant them eternal rest. 

0 Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the living God, 
who, according to Thy Father’s will, and by the 
cooperation of the Holy Ghost, hast given life to 
the world through Thine own death, deliver me 
by this Thy most sacred body and blood from all 
my sins and from every evil; make me cling to 
Thy commandments always, and never let me be 
separated from Thee. 

0 almighty and merciful God! I beseech Thee 
may all these sacraments in which it is our privi¬ 
lege to participate be the means of our purifica¬ 
tion; and grant that this Thy sacrifice may not be 
to us a ground of accusation for our punishment, 


Mass for the Dead. 


491 


but a salutary intercession for our pardon; may it 
serve for the washing away of our guilt, for the 
strengthening of our frailty, and for a support 
against all the dangers of the world, and to all 
Thy faithful people, whether living or dead, for 
the remission of all their sins. Through Jesus 
Christ our Lord. Amen. 

THE COMMUNION. 

At the signal given by the little bell, when the 
priest, before receiving the sacred Host, strikes his 
breast three times, do the same, and say each time: 

Lord! I am not worthy that Thou shouldst 
enter under my roof, but only speak the word, 
and my soul shall be healed. 

Here you may make a spiritual Communion, unit¬ 
ing yourself in desire with the Communion of the 
priest. After which recite the following prayer: 

To Almighty God, 0 dear departed brethren, 
we now commend you. May the bright company 
of the angels come to seek you; may the senate of 
the Apostles come to greet you; may the trium¬ 
phant army of glorious martyrs come to meet 
you, the glittering throng of confessors encom¬ 
pass you with their lilies in their hands, tbe choir 
of virgins receive you with songs of joy, and a 
happy rest embrace you on the bosoms of the 
patriarchs. 


492 


General Prayers. 


AT THE LAST GOSPEL. 

I know that my Redeemer liveth, and in the 
last day I shall rise out of the earth: and I shall 
he clothed again with my skin, and in my flesh 
I shall see my God: whom I myself shall see, and 
my eyes shall behold, and not another. This my 
hope is laid up for me in my bosom. (Job xix. 
25.) I am the resurrection and the life; he that 
believeth in Me, although he be dead, shall live; 
and every one that liveth and believeth in Me, 
shall not die forever. (John xi. 25.) And I 
heard a voice saying unto me: Write, blessed are 
the dead who die in the Lord; from henceforth 
now, saith the spirit, that they may - rest from 
their labors: for their works follow them. (Apoc. 
xiv. 13.) 

R. Thanks be to God. 


PRAYERS FOR CONFESSION. 

Before Confession. 

(St. Alphonsus.) 

0 God of infinite majesty, behold at Thy feet 
the traitor who has again offended Thee, but who 
now in all humility asks Thy pardon. 0 Lord, 
reject me not. Thou canst not despise an hum- 



Prayers for Confession. 


493 


bled heart. I thank Thee for having waited for 
me up to the present moment, and for not having 
allowed me to die when I was in sin, to be sent to 
hell, as I had deserved. The patience Thou hast 
shown towards me, 0 my God, makes me hope 
that through the merits of Jesus Christ Thou 
wilt pardon me in this confession all my offences 
against Thee. I repent of them, and am grieved 
because I have deserved hell, and have lost 
heaven; but especially I am sorry for them from 
the bottom of my heart, not so much because I 
have deserved hell, but because I have displeased 
Thee, who art infinite goodness. Yes, I love 
Thee, 0 sovereign Good, and because I love Thee 
I repent of all my offences against Thee. I have 
turned my back upon Thee; I have been wanting 
in respect towards Thee; I have despised Thy 
grace, Thy friendship—in a word, 0 Lord, I have 
wilfully lost Thee. Ah! for the love of Jesus 
Christ forgive me all my sins. I repent of them 
with my whole heart; I hate, I detest them; I 
abhor them more than all evils; and I repent not 
only of my mortal, but also of my venial sins, 
which likewise displease Thee. I purpose for the 
future, with the help of Thy grace, never more 
wilfully to offend Thee. Yes, my God, I will 
rather die than sin again. 


494 


General Prayers. 


After Confession. 

My dear Jesus, how much do I not owe Thee! 
By the merits of Thy blood I trust that I have 
this day been pardoned. I thank Thee exceed¬ 
ingly. I hope to praise Thy mercies forever in 
heaven. My God, if hitherto I have so often lost 
Thee, I will lose Thee no more for the time to 
come: I am resolved really to change my life. 
Thou deservest all my love; I wish to love Thee 
in good earnest. My will is never again to be 
separated from Thee. I have already promised 
Thee, and I promise Thee again at this moment, 
to consent rather to die than to offend Thee 
again. I promise to fly the occasion of sin, and 
to use this means . . . (here mention it) for not 
falling again. 

But Thou, my Jesus, knowest my weakness; 
give me the grace to he faithful to Thee until 
death, and to have recourse to Thee in my temp¬ 
tations. 

Most holy Virgin Mary, assist me. Thou art 
the Mother of perseverance; all my hope is in 
thee. 


Acts Before and After Communion. 495 


ACTS BEFORE AND AFTER 
COMMUNION. 

Acts before Communion. 

(St. Alphonsus.) 

1. An Act of Faith. 

Behold, he cometh leaping upon the mountains > 
shipping over the hills. Ah, my most amiable 
Saviour, over how many, what rough and craggy 
mountains, hast Thou had to pass in order to 
come and unite Thyself to me by means of this 
most holy Sacrament! Thou, from being God, 
hadst to become man; from being immense, to 
become a babe; from being Lord, to become a ser¬ 
vant. Thou hadst to pass from the bosom of 
Thy Eternal Father to the womb of a Virgin; 
from heaven into a stable; from a throne of glory 
to the gibbet of a criminal. And on this very 
morning Thou wilt come from Thy seat in heaven 
to dwell in my bosom. 

Behold, he standeth behind our wall, looking 
through the windows, looking through the lattices . 
Behold, 0 my soul, thy loving Jesus, burning with 
the same love with which he loved thee when 
dying for thee on the cross, is now concealed in 
the most blessed Sacrament under the sacred 


496 


General Prayers. 


species; and what is he doing? Looking through 
the lattices. As an ardent lover desirous to see 
you correspond to his love, from the Host, as 
from within closed lattices, whence he sees with¬ 
out being seen, he is looking at you who are this 
morning about to feed upon his divine flesh; he 
observes your thoughts, what it is that you love, 
what you desire, what you seek for, and what 
offerings you are about to make him. 

Awake, then, my soul, and prepare to receive 
thy Jesus; and, in the first place, by faith, say to 
him: So, then, my beloved Redeemer, in a few 
moments Thou art coming to me? 0 hidden God, 
unknown to the greater part of men, I believe, I 
confess, I adore Thee in the most holy Sacrament 
as my Lord and Saviour! And in acknowledgment 
of this truth I would willingly lay down my life. 
Thou comest to enrich me with Thy graces and 
to unite Thyself entirely to me; how great, then, 
should be my confidence in this Thy so loving 
visit! 


2. An - Act of Loye. 

Ah, my God, my God, true and only love of 
my soul, and what more couldst Thou have done 
to be loved by me? To die for me was not 
enough for Thee, my Lord; Thou wast pleased to 
institute this great Sacrament in order to give 


Acts Before and After Communion. 497 

Thyself all to me, and thus bind and unite Thy¬ 
self heart to heart with so loathsome and un¬ 
grateful a creature as I am. And what is more. 
Thou Thyself invitest me to receive Thee, and de- 
sirest so much that I should do so! 0 boundless 
love! incomprehensible love! infinite love! a God 
would give himself all to me!—m}^ soul, believest 
thou this? And what doest thou? what sayest 
thou? Oh, could I but cause Thee to be loved 
by all hearts as much as Thou deservest! I love 
Thee, 0 most amiable God, and I unite my mis¬ 
erable heart in loving Thee to the hearts of the 
seraphim, to the heart of the most blessed Vir¬ 
gin Mary, to the Heart of Jesus, Thy most loving 
and beloved Son. So that, 0 infinite Good, I 
love Thee with the love with which the saints, 
with which Mary, with which Jesus love Thee. 
And I love Thee only because Thou art worthy 
of it, and to give Thee pleasure. Depart, all 
earthly affections, that are not for God, depart 
from my heart. Mother of fair love, most holy 
Virgin Mary, help me to love that God whom 
thou dost so ardently desire to see loved! 

3. An Act of Humility. 

Then, my soul, thou art even now about to 
feed on the most sacred flesh of Jesus! And art 
thou worthy? My God, and who am I, and who 


498 


General Prayers. 


art Thou? I indeed know and confess who 
Thou art that givest Thyself to me; but dost 
Thou know what I am who am about to receive 
Thee? And is it possible, 0 my Jesus, that Thou 
who art infinite purity desirest to come and re¬ 
side in this soul of mine, which has been so many 
times the dwelling of Thy enemy, and soiled with 
so many sins? I know, 0 my Lord, Thy great 
majesty and my misery; I am ashamed to appear 
before Thee. Reverence would induce me to 
keep at a distance from Thee; but if I depart 
from Thee, 0 my life, whither shall I go? to 
whom shall I have recourse? and what will be¬ 
come of me? No, never will I depart from Thee; 
nay, even I will ever draw nearer and nearer to 
Thee. 

Thou art satisfied that I should receive Thee 
as food, Thou even invitest me to this. I come, 
then, 0 my amiable Saviour; I come to receive 
Thee this morning, all humbled and confused 
at the sight of my defects; but full of confidence 
in Thy tender mercy, and in the love which Thou 
bearest me. 

4. An Act of Contrition. 

I am indeed grieved, 0 God of my soul, for not 
having loved Thee during the time past; what is 
still worse, so far from loving Thee, and to gratify 


Acts Before and After Communion. 499 

my own inclinations, I have greatly offended and 
outraged Thy infinite goodness: I have turned 
my hack upon Thee, I have despised Thy grace 
and friendship. Lord, I am sorry, and grieve for 
it with my whole heart. I detest the sins which 
I have committed, he they great or small, as the 
greatest of all my misfortunes, because I have 
thereby offended Thee, 0 infinite Goodness. I 
trust that Thou hast already forgiven me; but if 
Thou hast not yet pardoned me, oh, do so before 
I receive Thee: wash with Thy blood this soul of 
mine, in which Thou art so soon about to dwelL 

5. An Act of Desire. 

And now, my soul, the blessed hour has arrived 
in which Jesus will come and take us his dwell¬ 
ing in thy poor heart. Behold the King of 
heaven, behold thy Redeemer and God, who is 
even now coming; prepare thyself to receive him 
with love, invite him with the ardor of thy 
desire. 

Most holy Virgin and my Mother Mary, behold 
I already approach to receive thy Son. Would 
that I had the heart and love with which thou 
didst communicate! Give me this morning thy 
Jesus, as thou didst give him to the shepherds 
and to the kings. I intend to receive him from 
thy most pure hands. Tell him that I am thy 


500 


General Prayers. 


servant and thy client; for he will thus look upon 
me with a more loving eye, and now that he is 
coming, will press me more closely to himself. 

After Communion. 

(St. Alphonsus.) 

0 my Jesus, now that Thou, who art the true 
Life, art come to me, make me die to the world, 
and to live only for Thee, my Redeemer; by the 
flames of Thy love destroy in me all that is dis¬ 
pleasing to Thee, and give me a true desire to 
gratify and please Thee in all things. 

Give me that true humility which shall make 
me love contempt and self-abjection, and take 
from me all ambition of putting myself forward. 
Give me the spirit of mortification, that I may 
deny myself all those things that do not tend to 
Thy love, and may lovingly embrace that which 
is displeasing to the senses and to self-love. 

Give me a perfect resignation to Thy will, that 
I may accept in peace pains, infirmities, loss of 
friends or property, desolations, persecutions, and 
all that comes to me from Thy hand. I offer 
Thee my whole being, that Thou mayest dispose 
of me according to Thy pleasure. And give me 
grace always to repeat this entire offering of my¬ 
self, especially at the time of my death. May I 
then offer the sacrifice of my life to Thee, in 


-Acfs Before and After Communion. 501 

union with the sacrifice that Thou didst make of 
Thy life for me to the Eternal Father. My 
Jesus, enlighten me, and make me to know Thy 
goodness, and the obligation I am under to love 
Thee above all for the love Thou hast borne me 
in dying for me, and in giving Thyself to me in 
the most holy Sacrament. 

I pray Thee to give Thy light to all infidels 
who know Thee not, to all heretics who are out 
of the Church, and to all sinners who live de¬ 
prived of Thy grace. My Jesus, make Thyself 
known, make Thyself loved. I recommend to 
Thee all the souls in purgatory, and especially 
N.N.; alleviate the pains they suffer, and shorten 
the time of their banishment from Thy sight. 
Do this through Thy merits, and those of Thy 
most holy Mother and of all Thy saints. 

My God, enkindle the flame of Thy love within 
me, so that I may seek nothing but Thy good 
pleasure; that nothing may please me but pleas¬ 
ing Thee. I drive from my heart everything 
which is not agreeable to Thee. May I always be 
able to say with real affection: 0 God, my God, I 
wish for Thee alone and nothing more. My 
Jesus, give me a great love for Thy most sacred 
Passion, that Thy sufferings and death may be 
ever before my eyes to excite me to love Thee 
always, and to make me desire to give Thee some 


502 


General Prayers. 


grateful compensation for Thy so great love. 
Give me also a great love for the most holy Sac¬ 
rament of the altar, in which Thou hast made 
known the exceeding tenderness Thou hast for 
us. I also beg of Thee to give me a tender devo¬ 
tion to Thy most holy Mother; give me grace 
always to love and serve her, always to have re¬ 
course to her intercession, and to induce others 
to honor her and confide in her patronage; and 
grant to me and to all men ever to have a great 
confidence, first in the merits of Thy Passion, 
and then in the intercession of Mary. 

I pray Thee to grant me a happy death. Gra*nt 
that I may then receive Thee with great love in 
the most holy Viaticum, that in Thy embrace, 
burning with a holy fire, and a great desire of 
seeing Thee, I may quit this life to cast myself 
at Thy feet as soon as it shall be my lot to behold 
Thee. 

Above all, I pray Thee, 0 my Jesus, to give me 
the grace of prayer, that I may recommend my¬ 
self always to Thee and Thy most holy Mother, 
especially in times of temptation; and I pray 
Thee, by Thy merits, to grant me holy perse¬ 
verance and Thy holy love. 

Bless me, my Jesus, and bless me entirely—my 
soul, my body, my senses, and my faculties. 
Bless especially my tongue, that it may only speak 


Acts Before and After Communion. 503 

for Thy glory. Bless my eyes, that they may 
not look at anything that might tempt me to dis¬ 
please Thee. Bless my taste, that it may not 
offend Thee by intemperance; and bless all the 
members of my body, that they may all serve 
Thee and not offend Thee. Bless my memory, 
that it may always remember Thy love and the 
favors Thou hast accorded me. Bless my under¬ 
standing, that it may know Thy goodness, and 
the obligation I have of loving Thee; and that it 
may see all that I must avoid, and all that I must 
do to conform myself to Thy holy will. Above 
all, bless my will, that it may love no other but 
Thee, the infinite Good; that it may seek for 
nothing but to please Thee; and may take delight 
in nothing but what conduces to Thy glory. 

0 my King, come Thou and reign alone in my 
soul; take entire possession of it, that it may 
neither serve nor obey anything but Thy love. 

0 my Jesus, that I might spend myself all for 
Thee, who hast spent all Thy life for me! 

0 Lamb of God, sacrificed on the cross, remem¬ 
ber that I am one of those souls which Thou hast 
redeemed with so much labor and sorrow. Never 
let me lose Thee again. Thou hast given Thyself 
all to me; make me to be all Thine, and let my 
only wish be to please Thee. I love Thee, 0 
immense Good, in order to give Thee pleasure. 


504 


General Prayers. 


I love Thee, because Thou art worthy of my love. 
I have no greater grief than that of thinking 
that I have been so long in the world without 
loving Thee. 

My beloved Kedeemer, give me a portion of that 
grief which Thou didst feel for my sins in the 
garden of Gethsemane. 0 my Jesus, would that 
I had died and never offended Thee! 0 love of 
my Jesus, Thou art my love and my hope! I will 
rather lose my life, and a thousand, than lose 
Thy grace. 

My God, if I were to die in sin, I could no more 
love Thee. I thank Thee that Thou givest me 
time, and dost call me to love Thee. Now, then, 
that I can love Thee, I will love Thee with all 
my soul. Thou hast borne with me so long that 
I might love Thee. Yes, and I will love Thee. 
Ah, by the blood that Thou hast shed for me, 
suffer me not to betray Thee again. “ In Thee, 
0 Lord, have I hoped; let me not be confounded 
forever.” What is the world? what are riches? 
what are pleasures? what are honors? 0 my God, 
I wish for Thee alone. My God, Thou art suffi¬ 
cient for me; Thou art an infinite Good. 

0 my Jesus, bind me wholly to Thy love, and 
draw all my affections to Thyself, so that I may 
love none other but Thee. Make me all Thine 
before I die. 


Acts Before and After Communion. 505 

Ah, my God, as long as I live I stand in danger 
of losing Thee. When shall the day come that 
I can say: My Jesus, I can no longer lose Thee? 

0 Eternal Father, for the love of Jesus Christ, 
despise me not; suffer me to love Thee, and give 
me Thy holy love. I wish to love Thee greatly 
in this life, that I may love Thee greatly in the 
next. 

0 infinite Good, I love Thee; but do Thou make 
me know the great good that I love, and give me 
the love which Thou dost desire to see in me. 
Enable me to overcome all things to please Thee. 

ANIMA CHRISTI. 

Soul of Jesus, sanctify me. 

Body of Jesus, save me. 

Blood of Jesus, wash me. 

Water out of the side of Jesus, purify me. 

Passion of Jesus, comfort me. 

0 good Jesus, hear me. 

Hide me within Thy sacred wounds. 

0 Sacred Heart of Jesus, receive me. 

0 immaculate heart of Mary, plead for me, and 
love me. 


506 


General Prayers. 


VESPERS OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN 
MARY. 

“ Our Father ” and “ Hail Mary ” being said in 
silence, the priest intones: 

0 God, incline unto my aid. 

R. 0 Lord, make haste to help me. 

Glory be to the Father, etc. 

Ant. Whilst the king was on his couch, my 
spikenard yielded a sweet odor. 

psalm cix. 

The Lord said to my lord: Sit Thou at my 
right hand: 

Until I make Thine enemies Thy footstool. 

The Lord shall send forth the rod of Thy power 
from out of Sion: rule Thou in the midst of 
Thine enemies. 

Thine shall be the dominion in the day of Thy 
power, amid the brightness of the saints: from 
the womb before the day-star have I begotten 
Thee. 

The Lord hath sworn, and will not repent: 
Thou art a priest forever according to the order 
of Melchisedech. 

The Lord upon Thy right hand hath over¬ 
thrown kings in the day of his wrath. 


Vespers of the Blessed Virgin Mary. 507 

He shall judge among the nations, he shall 
fulfil destructions: he shall smite in sunder the 
heads in the land of many. 

He shall drink of the brook in the way: there¬ 
fore shall he lift up his head. 

Glory be to the Father, etc. 

Ant. Whilst the king, etc. 

Ant. His left hand is under my head: and his. 
right hand embraces me. 

psalm cxn. 

Praise the Lord, ye children: praise ye the 
name of the Lord. 

Blessed be the name of the Lord, from this 
time forth forevermore. 

From the rising up of the sun unto the going 
down of the same: the name of the Lord is 
worthy to be praised. 

The Lord is high above all nations: and his 
glory above the heavens. 

Who is like unto the Lord our God, who dwell- 
eth on high: and regardeth the things that are 
lowly in heaven and on earth? 

Who raiseth up the needy from the earth: and 
lifteth the poor from off the dunghill: 

That he may set him with the princes: even 
with the princes of his people. 


508 


General Prayers. 


Who maketh the barren woman to dwell in her 
house: the joyful mother of children. 

Glory he to the Father, etc. 

Ant. His left hand. 

Ant. I am black, but beautiful, 0 daughters 
of Jerusalem: therefore the king loved me and 
brought me into his chamber. 

PSALM CXXI. 

I was glad at the things that were said unto 
me: We will go into the house of the Lord. 

Our feet were wont to stand: in thy courts, 0 
J erusalem. 

Jerusalem, which is built as a city: that is at 
unity with itself. 

For thither did the tribes go up, the tribes of 
the Lord: the testimony of Israel, to praise the 
name of the Lord. 

For there are set the seats of judgment: the 
seats over the house of David. 

Pray ye for the things that are for the peace 
of Jerusalem: and plenteousness be to them that 
love thee. 

Let peace be in thy strength: and plenteous¬ 
ness in thy towers. 

For my brethren and companions’ sake: I spoke 
peace concerning thee. 


Vespers of the Blessed Virgin Mary 509 

Because of the house of the Lord our God: I 
have sought good things for thee. 

Glory, etc. 

Ant. I am black. 

Ant. Now the winter is past, the rain over and 
gone; arise my love and come. 

PSALM CXXYI. 

Unless the Lord build the house: they labor 
in vain that build it. 

Unless the Lord keep the city: he watcheth in 
vain that keepeth it. 

In vain ye rise before the light: rise not till ye- 
have rested, 0 ye that eat the bread of sorrow. 

When he hath given sleep to his beloved: lo,. 
children are an heritage from the Lord, and the 
fruit of the womb a reward. 

Like as arrows in the hand of the mighty one: 
so are the children of those who have been cast 
out. 

Blessed is the man whose desire is satisfied 
with them: he shall not he confounded, when he 
speaketh with his enemies in the gate. 

Glory, etc. 

Ant. Now the winter. 

Ant. Thou art beautiful and sweet in thy per¬ 
fumes, 0 sacred Mother of God. 


510 


General Prayers. 


PSALM CXLVII. 

Praise the Lord, 0 Jerusalem: praise thy God, 
0 Sion. 

For he hath strengthened the bars of thy gates: 
he hath blessed thy children within thee. 

He hath made peace within thy borders: and 
filleth thee with the fatness of corn. 

He sendeth forth his commandment on the 
earth: his word runneth very swiftly. 

He giveth snow like wool: he scattereth the 
hoar-frost like ashes. 

He sendeth his ice like morsels: who is able to 
abide his frost? 

He shall send forth his word, and melt them: 
he shall blow with his wind, and the waters shall 
flow. 

He maketh known his word unto Jacob: his 
justices and judgments unto Israel. 

He hath not dealt so with any nation: neither 
hath he showed them his judgments. 

Glory, etc. 

Ant. Thou art beautiful and sweet in thy per¬ 
fumes, 0 sacred Mother of God. 

THE LITTLE CHAPTER. 

(Ecclus. xxiv.) 

From the beginning, and before ages, I was 
‘Created, and shall not cease in the world to come: 


511 


Vespers of the Blessed Virgin Mary. 

and I have ministered before him in the holy 
habitation. 

Thanks be to God. 


HYMN". 

Bright Mother of our Maker, hail! 
Thou Virgin ever blessed; 

The ocean’s Star by which we sail. 

And gain the port of rest! 

Whilst we this Ave thus to thee 
From Gabriel’s mouth rehearse, 

Prevail that peace our lot may be. 

And Eva’s name reverse. 

Eelease our long entangled mind 
From all the snares of ill; 

With heav’nly light instruct the blind. 
And all our vows fulfil. 

Exert for us a Mother’s care, 

And us, thy children, own; 

Prevail with him to hear our prayer, 
Who chose to be thy Son. 

0 spotless maid! whose virtues shine 
With brightest purity; 

Each action of our life refine, 

And make us pure like thee. 


512 


General Prayers. 


Preserve our lives unstained from ill. 

And guard us in our way; 

That Christ, one day, our souls may fill 
With joys that ne’er decay. 

To God the Father, endless praise; 

To God the Son, the same, 

And Holy Ghost, whose equal rays. 

One equal glory claim. Amen. 

V. Vouchsafe, 0 sacred Virgin, to accept my 
praises. 

R. Give me strength against thy enemies. 

Ant. 0 holy Mary, succor the miserable, help 
the faint-hearted, pray for the people, intercede 
for the clergy, make intercession for the devout 
female sex: let all be sensible of thy help who 
celebrate thy holy festivity. 

V. Grace is spread upon thy lips. 

R. Therefore hath God blessed thee forever. 

Ant. All generations shall call me blessed, 
because the Lord hath looked on his lowly hand¬ 
maid. 

THE MAGNIFICAT, OR CANTICLE OF THE BLESSED 
VIRGIN. 

My soul doth magnify the Lord. 

And my spirit hath rejoiced: in God my 
Saviour. 


Vespers of the Blessed Virgin Mary. 513 

For he hath regarded the humility of his hand¬ 
maid: for behold from henceforth all generations 
shall call me blessed. 

For he that is mighty hath done great things 
unto me: and holy is his name. 

And his mercy is from generation to genera¬ 
tion: unto them that fear him. 

He hath showed strength with his arm: he 
hath scattered the proud in the imagination of 
their heart. 

He hath put down the mighty from their seat: 
and hath exalted the humble. 

He hath filled the hungry with good things: 
and the rich he hath sent,empty away. 

He hath upholden his servant Israel: being 
mindful of his mercy. 

As he spake unto our fathers: to Abraham and 
his seed forever. 

Glory be to the Father, etc. 

Glory, etc. 

V. The Lord be with you. 

B. And with thy spirit. 

V. Let us bless the Lord. 

R. Thanks be to God. 

V. May the souls of the faithful departed, 
through the mercy of God, rest in peace. 

B. Amen. 


514 


General Prayers . 


THE STATIONS OR WAY OF THE 
CROSS. 


In order to gain the many indulgences granted 
to this devotion (which are applicable to the souls 
in purgatory), the following conditions must be 
complied with: (1) We must, as we go along, medi¬ 
tate on the Passion of Our Lord, as far as our 
capacity will allow; and (2) we must move from one 
Station to the other, unless the crowded state of the 
church renders this impossible. We should then at 
least turn towards each successive Station as the 
procession moves along. 


Manner of Practising the Exercise of the 
Way of the Cross. 

Let each one, kneeling before the high altar, make 
an act of contrition, and form the intention of gain¬ 
ing the indulgences, whether for himself or for the 
souls in purgatory. Then say: 

My Lord Jesus Christ, Thou hast made this 
journey to die for me with love unutterable, and 
I have so many times unworthily abandoned 
Thee; but now I love Thee with my whole heart, 
and because I love Thee I repent sincerely for 
having ever offended Thee. Pardon me, my God, 
and permit me to accompany Thee on this jour¬ 
ney. Thou goest to die for love of me; I wish 
also, my beloved Redeemer, to die for love of 


The Stations or Way of the Cross. 515 

Thee. My Jesus, I will live and die always 
united to Thee. 

FIRST STATION. 

JESUS IS CONDEMNED TO DEATH. 

V. We adore Thee, 0 Christ, and praise Thee. 

R. Because by Thy holy cross Thou hast re¬ 
deemed the world. 

Consider that Jesus, after having been 
scourged and crowned with thorns, was unjustly 
condemned by Pilate to die on the cross. 

My adorable Jesus, it was not Pilate, no, it was 
my sins, that condemned Thee to die. I beseech 
Thee, by the merits of this sorrowful journey, to 
assist my soul in its journey towards eternity. I 
love Thee, Jesus, my love, I love Thee more than 
myself; I repent with my whole heart of having 
offended Thee. Never permit me to separate 
myself from Thee again. Grant that I may love 
Thee always, and then do with me what Thou 
wilt. 

Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be, etc. 

SECOND STATION. 

JESUS IS MADE TO BEAR HIS CROSS. 

V. We adore Thee, etc. 

R. Because, etc. 

Consider that Jesus, in making this journey 


516 


General Prayers. 


with the cross on his shoulders, thought of us, 
.and offered for us to his Father the death that 
he was about to undergo. 

My most beloved Jesus, I embrace all the 
tribulations that Thou hast destined for me until 
death. I beseech Thee, by the merits of the 
pain Thou didst suffer in carrying Thy cross, to 
give me the necessary help to carry mine with 
perfect patience and resignation. I love Thee, 
Jesus, my love; I repent of having offended Thee. 
Never permit me to separate myself from Thee 
again. Grant that I may love Thee always, and 
then do with me what Thou wilt. 

Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be, etc. 

THIRD STATION. 

JESUS FALLS THE FIRST TIME UNDER HIS CROSS. 

V. We adore Thee, etc. 

R. Because, etc. 

Consider this first fall of Jesus under his cross. 
His flesh was torn by the scourges, his head 
crowned with thorns, and he had lost a great 
quantity of blood. He was so weakened that he 
could scarcely walk, and yet he had to carry this 
great load upon his shoulders. The soldiers 
struck him rudely, and thus he fell several times 
on his journey. 


The Stations or Way of the Cross. 517 

My beloved Jesus, it is not the weight of the 
cross, but of my sins, which has made Thee suffer 
so much pain. Ah, by the merits of this first 
fall, deliver me from the misfortune of falling 
into mortal sin. I love Thee, 0 my Jesus, with 
my whole heart; I repent of having offended 
Thee. Never permit me to offend Thee again. 
Grant that I may love Thee always, and then do 
with me what Thou wilt. 

Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be, etc. 

FOURTH STATION. 

JESUS MEETS HIS AFFLICTED MOTHER. 

V. We adore Thee, etc. 

R. Because, etc. 

Consider the meeting of the Son and the 
Mother, which took place on this journey. Jesus 
and Mary looked at each other, and their looks 
became as so many arrows to wound those hearts 
which loved each other so tenderly. 

My most loving Jesus, by the sorrow Thou 
didst experience in this meeting, grant me the 
grace of a truly devoted love for Thy most holy 
Mother. And thou, my Queen, who wast over¬ 
whelmed with sorrow, obtain for me by thy inter¬ 
cession a continual and tender remembrance of 
the Passion of thy Son. I love Thee, Jesus, my 
love; I repent of ever having offended Thee. 


518 


General Prayers. 


Never permit me to offend Thee again. Grant 
that I may love Thee always, and then do with 
me what Thou wilt. 

Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be, etc. 

FIFTH STATION. 

THE CYRENIAN HELPS JESUS TO CARRY HIS CROSS. 

V. We adore Thee, etc. 

R. Because, etc. 

Consider that the Jews, seeing that at each 
step Jesus, from weakness, was on the point of 
expiring, and fearing that lie would die on the 
way, when they wished him to die the ignomini¬ 
ous death of the cross, constrained Simon the 
Cyrenian to carry the cross behind Our Lord. 

My most sweet Jesus, I will not refuse the 
cross as the Cyrenian did; I accept it, I embrace 
it. I accept in particular the death that Thou 
hast destined for me, with all the pains which 
may accompany it; I unite it to Thy death; I offer 
it to Thee. Thou hast died for love of me; I 
will die for love of Thee, and to please Thee. 
Help me by Thy grace. I love Thee, Jesus, my 
love; I repent of having offended Thee. Never 
permit me to offend Thee again. Grant that I 
may love Thee always, and then do with me what 
Thou wilt. 

Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be, etc. 


The Stations or Way of the Cross. 519 
SIXTH STATION. 

VERONICA WIPES THE FACE OF JESUS. 

V. We adore Thee, etc. 

R. Because, etc. 

Consider that the holy woman named Veronica, 
seeing Jesus so afflicted, and his face bathed in 
sweat and blocd, presented him with a towel, 
with which he wiped his adorable face, leaving 
on it the impression of his holy countenance. 

My most beloved Jesus, Thy face was beautiful 
before, hut in this journey it has lost all its 
beauty, and wounds and blood have disfigured it. 
Alas! my soul also was once beautiful, when it 
received Thy grace in baptism; but I have disfig¬ 
ured it since by my sins; Thou' alone, my Re¬ 
deemer, canst restore it to its former beauty. Do 
this by Thy Passion, and then do with me what 
Thou wilt. 

Our Father, Hail.Mary, Glory be, etc. 

SEVENTH STATION. 

JESUS FALLS THE SECOND TIME. 

V. We adore Thee, etc. 

R. Because, etc. 

Consider the second fall of Jesus under the 
cross — a fall which renews the pain of all the 


5 22 General Prayers . 

Thee always; and then do with me what Thou 
wilt. 

Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be, etc. 

TENTH STATION. 

JESUS IS STRIPPED OF HIS GARMENTS. 

V. We adore Thee, etc. 

R. Because, etc. 

Consider the violence with which the execu¬ 
tioners stripped Jesus. His inner garments 
adhered to his torn flesh, and they dragged them 
off so roughly' that the skin came with them. 
Compassionate your Saviour thus cruelly treated, 
and say to him: 

My innocent Jesus, by the merits of the tor¬ 
ment that Thou hast felt, help me to strip myself 
of all affection to things of earth, in order that I 
may place all my love in Thee, who art so worthy 
of my love. I love Thee, 0 Jesus, with my whole 
heart; I repent of having offended Thee. Never 
permit me to offend Thee again. Grant that I 
may love Thee always, and then do with me what 
Thou wilt. 

Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be, etc. 


The Stations or Way of the Cross. 


523 


ELEVENTH STATION. 

JESUS IS NAILED TO THE CROSS. 

V. We adore Thee, etc. 

R. Because, etc. 

Consider that Jesus, after being thrown on the 
cross, extended his hands, and offered to his 
Eternal Father the sacrifice of his life for our 
salvation. These barbarians fastened him with 
nails; and then, raising the cross, left him to die 
with anguish on this infamous gibbet. 

My Jesus, loaded with contempt, nail my heart 
to Thy feet, that it may ever remain there to 
love Thee, and never quit Thee again. I love 
Thee more than myself; I repent of having 
offended Thee. Never permit me to offend Thee 
again. Grant that I may love Thee always; and 
then do with me what Thou wilt. 

Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be, etc. 


TWELFTH STATION. 

JESUS DIES ON THE CROSS. 

V. We adore Thee, etc. 

R. Because, etc. 

Consider that thy Jesus, after three hours’ 
agony on the cross, consumed at length with 


526 


General Prayer'S. 


may love Thee always, and then do with me what 
Thou wilt. 

Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory he, etc. 

After this, return to the high altar, and say, “ Our 
Father,” “ Hail Mary,” and “ Glory be,” etc., five 
times, in honor of the Passion of Jesus Christ, to 
gain the other indulgences granted to those who re¬ 
cite them. At the end, the “ Our Father,” the “ Hail 
Mary,” and the “ Glory be to the Father ” may be 
said for the intention of the Sovereign Pontiff. 


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12 


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13 


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IS 


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Guide for Sacristans and Others Having Charge of the Altar 
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c/oi/c 


16 



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